Tibet's First Monastery | Samye Monastery (1821)

Samye Monastery, also known as Sangphuk Monastery or Unbounded Monastery, is located within the territory of Samye Town, Zhanang County, in the Shannan region of Tibet. It was established during the 8th century under the Tibetan Empire and is the first monastery in Tibet where monks were ordained. The architectural layout of the monastery is based on the Buddhist cosmology, and the central temple combines Tibetan, Han Chinese, and Indian styles, which is why it is also referred to as the 'Temple of the Three Styles'.