Ramoche Monastery
Lying at about 500 meters to the north of the Jokhang Monastery, the Ramoche Monastery faces the east and takes up 4,000 square meters.
Both the Jokhang and the Ramoche monasteries started construction in the min-7th century. The Ramoche Monastery originally had the same scale with the Jokhang Monaster, but it was destroyed many times in history. The sacred sculpture of Sakyamuni that the Ramoche Monastery was built for was later moved into the Jokhang Monastery. Since then, less and less pilgrims came here. Although renovations were often, old architectures still disappeared. Most parts of the monastery today were built after the Ming Dynasty. The main architectures include the hall and the arch gate, surrounded by the corridor where pilgrims can turn the prayer wheels. A courtyard lies in the front. The main hall composed of three stories takes up 2,100 square meters.
In 1474 of the Ming Dynasty, the monastery became the Upper Academy of the Gelug Sect to study Esoteric Buddhism. All the lamas who can study here are quite privileged and might get a chance to become the Xaze Prince of Dharma who could head the Gandain Monastery in Dagze County of Lhasa. Since 1694, a grant ceremony commemorating the 5th Dalai Lama has been held here in the 2nd month of the Tibetan calendar every year.
