Overwhelmed Serthar Buddhist Institute, Tibet ~ travel.

- Built in valleys remote Larung but Serthar Buddhist Institute became the largest center of Tibetan Buddhism, attracting more than 40,000 followers.

Serthar Buddhist Institute (Garze Province, Tibet) was built at an altitude of 4,000 meters, approximately 15km from the town Sertar. Academy was founded in 1980 by Lama Jigme Phuntsok, an influential person in Nyingma tradition.
Although formed in the desolate valleys, but this place has now become the center of Tibetan Buddhist Studies largest, most influential in the world. Currently, it is home to over 40,000 monks, nuns and lay people.
Serthar very large campus, including a large monastery in the middle and small houses around. The monks and nuns of the most built around the valley and the surrounding mountains. The great wall of separation between two Academy, a party for the monks, was a party to the monks. The monks are not allowed out of their area, except for the front hall of the monastery is the same for both places.
The houses here are built entirely of wood and close to home that feels like home is located right on top of the other.
One of the most surprising in Serthar Buddhist Institute is more than half of the women who attended. While in other areas of Tibet receive only a small number of monks and nuns is in the open Serthar welcome anyone who really wants to become disciples of Jigme Phuntsok.
Serthar Buddhist Institute attracts many students from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. This group of monks studying in classes taught in Mandarin.Well away from the Academy of big cities. Where is the nearest city of Chengdu and take 13-15 hours away. It is considered a sensitive area so it would be difficult for foreign travelers to visit.
Some images in Serthar Buddhist Institute: