Drepung Monastery

Drepung Monastery, perched on the outskirts of Lhasa, Tibet, is a sprawling labyrinth of whitewashed walls and golden roofs. Once the largest monastery in the world, it was home to nearly 10,000 monks in its heyday, making it a bustling hub of Tibetan Buddhist learning and debate. Today, it’s quieter but no less awe-inspiring, with its massive courtyards, intricate murals, and a maze of stairways that seem to go nowhere and everywhere at once.

The monastery is like stepping into a living history book. You’ll spot monks chanting, debating passionately in courtyards, and moving about with an air of serenity that feels almost contagious. The assembly hall is a must-see, with its towering Buddha statues, flickering butter lamps, and a palpable sense of reverence. If you’re lucky, you might catch the Shoton Festival, when the hills behind the monastery burst into life with a giant Buddha thangka unfurled for the world to admire.

From its lofty vantage point, Drepung offers sweeping views of the Lhasa valley. It’s both a photographer’s dream and a place that makes you question if time ever really moved forward here. The vibe? A mix of spiritual gravitas and ancient charm with just a hint of the mysterious.

PS: these photos are over 20 years old, taken at a resolution of just 6.3 megapixels with my first DSLR and my first L-series lens: the 300D and the 17-40mm F4L. Looking back, I regret not shooting in RAW, but storage limitations were a challenge back then. Still, this demonstrates that you don’t necessarily need the latest or most expensive camera—and I’m saying that as a form of self-therapy.