Pelkhor Chode & Kumbum Pagoda


Located at the foot of the Dzong Fort in the northwest of Gyantse, the Pelkhor Chode is so famous that its remarkable feature accommodates the three sects of Tibetan Buddhism in one monastery coexisting in peace with each other.

The monastery originally belends features of Sakya sect. , the Kagyu sect and the Gelug sect. These sects had once become rival claims, but later they gave in space to each other. Therefore, the Pelkhor Chode is in coexistence of the three sects namely, the Sakya, the Kagyu and the Gelug. The offerings and the architectural styles are expressed that they incorporated things with diverse nature and gained the superiorities from each other.

The full name of the Pelkhor Chode is called ‘the auspicious wheel joy monastery’. According to the historical records, this monastery was built in 14th or 15th century. It consists of the Assembly Hall, the 100000-Buddha pagoda, dratsangs and an enclosure wall as its construction units.