Amarbayas Galang

Amarbayasgalant Monastery stands in the Iven valley near the Selenge River, beneath Mount Büren-Khaan. Its temples are arranged symmetrically along a north–south axis, their largely Chinese architectural style enriched by Mongol and Tibetan influences. Dedicated to Maitreya, it became one of the great monastic centres of Mongolia.

The Yongzheng Emperor ordered and financed its construction as a resting place for Zanabazar, the first Jebtsundamba Khutuktu and spiritual head of the Khalkha Buddhists. Built between 1727 and 1736, the monastery was completed under Yongzheng's successor, the Qianlong Emperor. Zanabazar's remains were transferred there in 1779. A local tradition tells that the builders chose the site after meeting two boys named Amur and Bayasqulangtu at play on the steppe, and combined their names for the monastery.