Sera Monastery
Sera Monastery lies at the foot of a hill on the northern edge of Lhasa. It was founded in the early 15th century and, with Drepung and Ganden, is counted among the three great Gelug monastic universities of Tibet.
Visitors see assembly halls, colleges and chapels with statues and murals. The best-known sight is the debating courtyard, where in the afternoon monks gather in pairs, with one standing to challenge and the other seated to answer, clapping their hands to punctuate each point.
Debate sessions are usually held on weekday afternoons, so visits are often timed around them. Photography inside the chapels is restricted, but the courtyard and grounds are more relaxed.
Trips that visit Sera Monastery
- Three Himalayan KingdomsDay 3: In Lhasa 15 days
Near Sera Monastery
Other places within 15 km.
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Temples & Monasteries
Chode Monastery
Litang Chode or Ganden Thubchen Choekhorling Monastery was founded in 1580 by the third Dalai Lama Sonam Gyatso on the site of an older Bon-monastery.
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Temples & Monasteries
Ramoche Temple
Ramoche is the sister temple to Jokhang temple, founded around the same time.
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Sight
Tsome Ling
Tsome Ling: or Tsomonling, south of Ramoche is one of the four former royal temples.
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Dzongs & Fortresses
Potala Palace
Aptly named after Mount Potalakha, the sacred mountain abode of Compassion Boddhisatva Avalokiteshvara or Chenrizing.
