Amarbayasgalant Khiid

Amarbayasgalant Khiid (Amarbayasgalant Monastery, Амарбаясгалант хийд) is considered to be the second most important monastery in Mongolia (after Erdene Zuu Khiid in Kharkhorin).

The Manchurian king Kansu originally built Amarbayasgalant Khiid between 1727 and 1736. He dedicated it to the great Mongolian Buddhist and sculptor, Zanabazar, who was laid to rest there in 1779.

The monastery originally consisted of over 40 temples and statues, but in the 1930s, the communists destroyed 12 of them. Nowadays, 28 temples remain and the monastery is home to some 30 monks and you can always ask them to show you around.

The beautiful monastery is situated in the Iven Valley near the Selenge River, at the foot of Mount Büren-Khaan. it is 60 km northeast from the town of Erdenet, 65 km southwest from the town of Darkhan (Darhan) and 215 km north of Ulaanbaatar. You can get to Darkhan by bus or train from Ulaanbaatar, but you'll need a jeep to get to the monastery from Darkhan.