Tholing Monastery

Tholing means flying in the sky and never falling down, therefore Tholing Monastery means monastery hung or circling in the sky. It is the oldest Buddhist monastery in Nagri and plays a very important role in Tibetan history. According to archaeologists, at the time of the foundation of Guge Kingdom, the rulers had decided to canonize Buddhism. As a result Tholing Monastery gradually became the centre of Tibetan Buddhism. It is said that there are still a lot of relics in the ruins of the Monastery. The structures and murals of the monastery are very much influenced by Nepalese and Indian styles, so people see Tholing Monastery as a collection of various building styles and Buddhism statues manners. Many dignitaries once came here to spread Buddhism. Tholing Monastery is more than 900 years old. It is clear that it has experienced various kinds of natural or man-made damage. In recent years Tholing Monastery has presented its original face after a series of renovations. Many gold-plated Buddhist statues are in the main building of the monastery. Although the building was more or less destroyed, fortunately the murals inside were well-protected. If you want to enjoy a look at the vivid murals you'd better take a flashlight for it is rather dark inside the building.

 Getting there: Tholing Monastery is in the north of Zanda County. It is possible to walk there.

Admission fee:

CNY 50