About THL > Introductions > Drepung Monastery Resources > Drepung Monastery Intro

Introduction to Drepung Monastery

A few miles west of Lhasa, just above the village of Denbak (ldan bag) or Dampa (dam pa), which is now just a suburb of the city, lies Drepung (lit. “pile of rice”; ’bras spungs), which was during the last century the largest monastery in the world. Although this monastery has by now gone through difficult times, it is still an important institution, with majestic buildings in a grandiose site. Lying at the foot of Gempel (dge ’phel) Mountain, the highest point in the Lhasa Valley, Drepung offers an impressive sight with its hundreds of large buildings nestled in an impressive mountainous surrounding.

View a Video Introduction to Drepung Monastery

Provided for unrestricted use by the Tibetan and Himalayan Library