Palkor Monastery

　　Palkor Monastery is built in l4l8 by the first Panchen Kezhugyi. Its full name is Auspicious Wheel Bde-mchog-rdorje Luxiba Mandala Xansoihe Monastery" or simply Bankor Qoide, meaning "Auspicious Wheel Joy Monastery." The monastery accommodates the four sects of Gel ug, Gagyu, Sagya and Nyingma, which is rare in Tibet. Each sect has its own ~zhacang" or praying hall here. In the main hall is enshrined the bronze statue of Sakyamuni, which is about eight meters high and weighs about 14,000 kilograms. On the flanks of the main hall are Arhat Halls that house some 100 finely crafted arhat statues with different facial expressions. The OneHundred-Thousand-Buddha Tower in the monastery is well known around the world lt is 42.4 meters high, with 108 doors and 76 niches. Each storey of the tower has niches. The main bodies of the first five storcys arc square but their roofs are octa(~onal. The sixth storey and above are round, with the niches becoming smaller. It is said that there are altogether more than 100,000 Buddha statues engraved on the tower; hence the name "One Hundred-Thousand-Buddha Tower."