Dhankar Monastery

Dhankar Monastery is a 12th-century Buddhist gompa perched on a cliff at 3,894 meters in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh. Overlooking the confluence of the Spiti and Pin rivers, it served as the traditional capital of the Spiti Kingdom during the 17th century. The site features ancient murals, a statue of Vairocana, and a small museum. It belongs to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism and is listed among the world's most endangered monuments.

Visitors can explore an ancient cliff-top monastery complex with centuries-old Buddhist murals, thangkas, and a statue of Vairocana consisting of four back-to-back figures. The site offers panoramic views of the Spiti and Pin river valleys from its high vantage point. A small museum within the gompa displays scriptures and religious artifacts. Access involves a steep uphill trek from the road head, and facilities are basic with limited amenities at the site itself.

Established in the 12th century, Dhankar served as the traditional capital of the Spiti Valley Kingdom during the 17th century. It was the seat of the Nonos, early rulers of Spiti who administered justice and maintained the fort. The monastery has belonged to the Gelug school since the 1450s after previously being associated with Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu orders. Parts of the structure were damaged in the 1975 earthquake.

Dhankar Monastery is a significant center of Tibetan Buddhist art and culture belonging to the Gelug school. It houses sacred religious artifacts including ancient thangkas, murals of Medicine Buddha, and scriptures in the Bhoti language. The site represents over a millennium of continuous Buddhist spiritual heritage in the Trans-Himalayan region and remains an active monastic institution.