Geser Sum Monastery

2004 World Monuments Watch

Founded in the late nineteenth century during the time of Manchu dominance over Mongolia, the Geser Sum Monastery was built with donations from Chinese merchants. As a result, planning of the complex is stylistically Chinese, but the architecture and sculpture identify the site as a unique fusion of elements of Mongolian Buddhism, indigenous shamanism, Chinese Buddhism, and Taoism. Geser Sum is the only monastery and associated sacred landscape as yet unaffected by urban development in the capital. This fusion of religious and cultural traditions reflects the larger history of Mongolia as a crossroads of differing cultures. As the government took possession of Geser Sum in 1933, and used it for the Border Army Song and Dance Ensemble, it escaped demolition during the suppression of the Buddhist monasteries and later became a functioning temple again after the cessation of communist rule in 1990. However, lack of maintenance, theft, and the threat of nearby development have negatively affected the site. A partnership between the post-communist government and the Buddhist community has led to a new initiative to restore Geser Sum. While the planning phase of the project, including a training program for Mongolians, has been financially supported by the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, the Getty Grant Program, and the World Bank, the project has managed to raise only limited funds to carry out actual restoration.