Palkhor Monastery, also name Palcho Monastery is very different with other monasteries. It lies about 230 kilometers (143 miles) south of Lhasa and 100 (62 miles) east of Shigatse, at the foot of the Dzong Hill.

The Monastery was founded in 1418. The compound housed approximately 15 different monasteries, made up of three different sects (Gelugpa, Sakyapa and Kahdampa) in a rare instance of tolerance amongst the Tibetan orders of Buddhism. It is the only monastery that houses monks from different orders in harmony. As a result, its structural style, deities enshrined and murals are very special.

Palkhor also features its Bodhi stupa, or Kumbum in Tibetan(means hall of 10,000 image), which was built in 1412 and completed 10 years later. Deemed as the symbol of the monastery, the spectacular stupa consists of hundreds of chapels in layers, housing about a hundred thousand images of Buddha, Bodhisattvas, Vajras, Dharma Kings, Arhats, Disciples and great adepts of different orders in Tibetan Buddhist history, and outstanding figures in Tibetan history such as Songtsen Gampo and Trisong Detsen, including about 3,000 statues, so it is called Myriad Buddha Stupa. Covering a space of 2,200 square meters, the stupa has totally 108 gates and 77 chapels, each of which has a dominant religious figure and murals. The cylinder, 20 meters in diameter, has four chapels inside. The elegant structure is worthy of a visit.