Description of the attraction
If the history and culture of China is of great interest to you, you will certainly be interested in visiting one of the largest Buddhist temples in China - Yonghegong, located in the center of Beijing. Today it is a functioning monastery and temple of the Tibetan Buddhist school.
The temple was erected in 1694 as the residence of the prince, in 1744 it was converted into a monastery, where Emperor Qianlong decided to settle 500 Lamaist monks. The building of the temple was painted in gold and red tones, its total area is 66 thousand square meters. A rectangular territory surrounded by a high wall is allocated for the temple, the main pavilions are located in the center, less significant ones - along the perimeter of the territory.
Right behind the main entrance there is a long alley, at the end of which you will see a high beautiful arch. On both sides of it there are towers on which a bell and a drum rise. They are used in various rituals and celebrations. In the center is the Tianwandian Temple - the Hall of Heavenly Kings. Inside it are the sculptures of four wrathful guards.
Next is Yonghegun, it is also called the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation. This is the most important building of the complex, which gave it its name. There is a statue of Buddha Maitreya - 23 meters in height, 7 of which are underground. It is believed that the statue was carved from a solid sandalwood tree trunk.
The temple, in addition to the pavilions listed, contains a number of other premises: a museum dedicated to Chinese Buddhism, as well as numerous shops where you can buy souvenirs and Tibetan silver products.
