AMARBAYASGALANT MONASTERY

Amarbayasgalant is the final destination for most travelers passing through Darkhan. Once you've arrived at the site, it's easy to see why. Nestled in an enchanting setting in the Iven Valley, not far from the Selenge River, the monastery of "tranquil bliss" was built between 1727 and 1736 in a veritable natural setting. It was erected in memory of Bogd Khan Zanabazar, Mongolia's first living Buddha, and was originally intended to house his remains. It would take him 42 years to do so, starting in 1778. At its peak, the monastery was home to some 8,000 monks, but was closed, partially destroyed and looted in 1937. Only the central buildings survived the Soviet destruction. Originally, no fewer than 60 temples occupied the space. Around 30 remain today. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996, the monastery was partially restored in 1988.

The importance of symbolism. Built during a period of Manchu domination, the monastery's structure is a classic of Chinese construction. The monastery is stylistically unified. The buildings are aligned on a north-south axis, facing south. They are arranged around four courtyards, surrounded by smaller buildings of secondary importance. The buildings are built of stone and topped with a tiled roof structure. The walls were then traditionally painted red.

Before entering the enclosure, you can see a wall some 50 metres from the main entrance. The uninitiated will probably find this surprising. The wall is actually designed to prevent evil spirits from entering the monastery. In Chinese tradition, spirits can only move in a straight line. Here, they are confined to the outside.

Behind this "shield wall" is a dance area for tsam (a religious dance asking the 10 patron gods to take care of the people) and, above all, the main porch, which is not open all the time. Monks only open the doors for important events. Words inscribed in Tibetan, Old Mongolian and Manchu indicate that "Amarbayasgalant Monastery was built by imperial order". You enter the monastery through one of the two doors on either side of the large porch.

On the right and left, there are two towers that were once used to announce the arrival of important guests. A ringing bell was enough to give the signal from the tower on the right. The original bell has since been broken. A new bell was supposed to replace it, but once built, the architects in charge of the project realized that it was far too heavy for the building! The tower on the left was the drum tower. One of the two towers now houses the monastery store, open only in summer.

A series of important temples. Pass the small temple dedicated to the protection of the gods to reach the second courtyard, home to the main temple, whose centerpiece is a life-size statue of Rinpoche Gurdava, a lama who raised a great deal of money for the monastery's upkeep and restoration in the early 1990s. Beside him stands a rare stone statue of Buddha, a survivor of the 1937 purges. Behind it, a statue of the founder of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition (one of the two great currents of this religion) stands proudly. His two best students are also statues. A door on the right leads to the second floor. It remains to be seen whether, on the day of the visit, the monk serving as guide will agree to go up.

This temple, known as Tsogchin Dugan, is where monks used to gather to pray. On the roof stands the golden Wheel of Life, representing the wheel Buddha used to teach. Legend has it that the roof of the building is supported by 108 wooden pillars, the symbolic number of the Buddhist religion. But the subject is a little unfortunate in that there are only 100 of them. The monks who live here don't seem to be amused!

To the rear of the main temple are two smaller courtyards. They have been relatively well preserved from the communist purges and, above all, well restored. At the heart of the first is a temple dedicated to Sakyamuni (founder of Buddhism) and another (the one on the far left) which is supposed to honor Ayush, the Buddha known for his longevity. The first of these two courtyards also houses the tomb of Zanabazar (far right) and that of the fourth Bogd Khan (far left). Finally, at the far end of the complex are the residence of visiting Bogd Khan and the temples of Matreya (the future Buddha) and Narkhajid (a female deity). Bordering the central axis, and at the level of the third and fourth courtyards, are the gers where the monks reside (currently around 200).

It's best to visit the monastery from 9am onwards, when religious activity is most intense. To get some height, climb to the top of the hill behind the monastery for a view over the valley.