Rumtek Monastery

Rumtek Monastery is a Buddhist monastery located in Sikkim, India. It is also known as the Dharmachakra Centre and is one of the most significant monasteries in the Himalayan region.

Rumtek Monastery was originally built in the 16th century by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, but it was destroyed during the invasion of Tibet in the 1950s. In the 1960s, the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Rigpe Dorje rebuilt the monastery with the help of the Sikkim royal family.

The monastery houses some of the most important relics of Tibetan Buddhism, including the Golden Stupa that contains the relics of the 16th Karmapa, and the Black Hat that is believed to have been brought by Guru Rinpoche from India.

Rumtek Monastery is also the seat of the Karmapa, who is the head of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery is home to several hundred monks and is open to visitors who wish to learn about Buddhism and its rich cultural heritage.