Tövkhön Monastery, Khotont, Mongolia
Tövkhön Monastery one of Mongolia’s oldest Buddhist monasteries, is located on the border of Övörkhangai Province and Arkhangai Province in central Mongolia, approximately 47 kilometers southwest of Kharkhorin.
Tövkhön Monastery was first established in 1648 by the 14-year-old Zanabazar, the first Jebtsundamba Khutuktu and spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhism for the Khalkha in Outer Mongolia. He determined that the location on the Shireet Ulaan Uul mountain overlooking a hill at 2,600 meters above sea-level was an auspicious location.
The first physical structures were built upon his return from studying in Tibet in 1653. Zanabazar, who was a gifted sculptor, painter, and musician, used the monastery, originally called Bayasgalant Aglag Oron, as his personal retreat over the course of 30 years. While there created many of his most famous works. It was also where he developed the soyombo script.
Epic Mongolia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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