Tashilunpo Monastery,founded in 1447 by Gendun Drup, a nephew of Tsongkhapa (the founder of the Gelukpa (Yellow Hat) sect, the ruling sect of Tibetan Buddhism), one of his foremost disciples, and, retrospectively, the First Dalai Lama, is a historic and culturally important monastery next to Shigatse, the second-largest city in Tibet.

 

 

The monastery is the traditional seat of successive Panchen Lamas, the second highest ranking tulku lineage in the Gelukpa tradition. The "Tashi" or Panchen Lama had temporal power over three small districts, though not over the town of Shigatse itself, which was administered by a dzongpön (prefect) appointed from Lhasa.

 

 

One of the most impressive chapels in the Tashilunpo is the Maitreya (Jampa in Tibetan) temple, which houses a 26 meter tall gilded copper of image of the future Buddha.