11 Facts About Drepung

Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries and is located on the Gambo Utse mountain, five kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa.

Drepung Monastery was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Choge Tashi Palden, one of Tsongkhapa's main disciples, and it was named after the sacred abode in South India of Shridhanyakataka.

Drepung was the principal seat of the Gelugpa school and it retained the premier place amongst the four great Gelugpa monasteries.

The Ganden Phodrang in Drepung was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until the Great Fifth Dalai Lama constructed the Potala.

Drepung was known for the high standards of its academic study, and was called the Nalanda of Tibet, a reference to the great Buddhist monastic university of India.

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The estate of the Dalai Lamas at Drepung Monastery, called Ganden Phodrang, had been constructed in 1518 by Gendun Gyatso Palzangpo, retrospectively named and counted as 2nd Dalai Lama.

Drepung had already occupied the Throne of Ganden and was considered the most prolific and important Geluk thinker of his time.

Drepung's successor was none other than Sonam Gyatso, the lama who would receive the official title of the Third Dalai Lama.

Drepung is divided into what are known as the seven great colleges: Gomang, Loseling, Deyang, Shagkor, Gyelwa or Tosamling, Dulwa, and Ngagpa.

Drepung monastery was under siege four days later by Chinese forces, on 14 March 2008.

International Herald Tribune reported that Drepung Monastery reopened in 2013 after being shut for five years.