Located on the outskirts of Kharhorin, Mongolia, Erdene Zuu was once the center of Buddhism in Mongolia; from 1596-the early 1940’s the Monastery housed the highest ranking monks and supported the religion throughout the country.
When the Communist Persecution swept Mongolia in the 1940’s, Erdene Zuu was left in ruins as monks fled for their lives and nearly all the temples were destroyed. The reconstruction and restoration efforts are still underway.
Today, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Monastery is regaining some of its former glory.
The main Tsogchin Temple and the Western Praying Temple showcase salvaged artifacts from before the Persecution as well as new relics. The juxtaposition is meant to symbolize that a bright future is possible from a dark past.
The temples are colorful and intricately decorated. Visually, its nearly overwhelming compared to the surrounding barren landscape.
More than anything, Erdene Zuu stands as a testament to the resilience of the Mongolian people.
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what gorgeous colors. and it looks SO spacious! were there many people around?
it really is amazing what the human mind can create and come up with. Beauty comes in so many forms. Thanks for sharing this one with us. And I’m with Wandering Educators- where there many people around?
We were the only foreigns around and there were only about half a dozen other people on the grounds – it was empty! But, that made it all that much more peaceful to wander the temples.
So glad it all still remains for us to learn from and enjoy. Spectacular.