Erdene Zuu Monastery – Monastery of 100 Treasures - Steppe by Steppe - Interactive Map (sitios de interés)

Although in no way the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, Erdene Zuu (Mongolian: ?????? ???) was the most important for many centuries following the rise of the Chinggis Khaan Dynasty. Originally cronstructed in the 13th century by the Sakya School masters who became the official Mongol court tutors following the visits of Sakya Pandita and Chogyal Pakpa to the courts of Godan and Khublai Khaan, when Buddhism became the nation religion of the Mongol Empire, it stood as the crown jewel of the ancient city of Karakorum, that had been built by Chinggis Khaan as the capital of his newly established empire. It is part of the World Heritage Site entitled Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape.
The monastery, together with much of Karakorum, was destroyed after Mongol colonization of China came to an end, and the Ming armies pushed the Mongols back north. It was re-built in 1585 by Abtai Sain Khan, upon the introduction of Buddhism into Mongolia as the state religion. Stones from the ruins of Karakorum were used in construction. It is surrounded by a wall featuring 108 stupas, 108 being a sacred number in Buddhism, and the number of beads in a Buddhist rosary. The monastery was damaged by warfare in the 1680s, but was rebuilt in the 18th century and by 1872 had a full 62 temples inside.
In 1939 the Communist leader Khorloogiin Choibalsan had the monastery ruined, as part of a purge that obliterated hundreds of monasteries in Mongolia and killed over ten thousand monks. Three small temples and the external wall with the stupas remained; the temples became museums in 1947. They say that this part of the monastery was spared destruction on account of Joseph Stalin's pressure. One researcher claims that it was U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt who asked Stalin to save the monastery in 1944.
Erdene Zuu was allowed to exist as a museum only; the only functioning monastery in Mongolia was Gandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. However, after the fall of Communism in Mongolia in 1990, the monastery was turned over to the lamas and Erdene Zuu again became a place of worship. Today Erdene Zuu remains an active Buddhist monastery as well as a museum that is open to tourists.
On a hill outside the monastery sits a stone phallus. The phallus is said to retain the sexual impulses of the monks and ensure their good behavior