Restoring Geser Sum monastery

	Inside the compound of the Geser monastery

The Geser Sum monastery is one of the few religious buildings to have survived the Stalinist purges in Mongolia. Ironically it survived because it was being used as a factory and so was considered an industrial site. Built in the late 18th century, it is one of the oldest buildings in what until living memory was a city of tents: Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar.

Geser, to whom the temple is dedicated, is the deity of war and literature. It is appropriate that the temple should therefore be used as a centre of teaching, and to defend the environment, on which the country’s future depends.

	the monastery‘s murals and decorations are being restored

Preserving nature and the arts

ARC is working with a Mongolian charity, set up solely for the preservation of Geser Sum. Wall-paintings at the monastery will be preserved with seed funding provided by the Getty Foundation. These include a series of murals showing the story of Monkey, a mischievous hero figure said to be protected by Avalokitesvara, the patron deity of Mongolia.

Energy conservation in Mongolian monasteries

Links to the Mongolian Buddhist Handbook