Temples of Tibet

Temples of Tibet is a long-term research initiative that aims to visualize and analyze the profound changes to Tibet's monastic heritage over the last 70 years, following the occupation of Tibet and the Cultural Revolution. Our interactive map and database currently displays the correct and precise geographic coordinates for over 2600 monasteries in Tibet. These findings draw from historical satellite images, archival text and photography, oral history, fieldwork, and past data generously contributed by our project collaborators. In line with Studio Nyandak’s commitment to making research on cultural heritage and preservation widely accessible, Temples of Tibet will be published publicly via an online map, 3D renderings, and written narratives. We continue to contextualize the significant of this data collection in our project Tibet from Above.

We are grateful to be in continued collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of scholars and institutions: Dr. Karl Ryavec (University of California, Merced), Professor Gray Tuttle (Columbia University), Tsering Wangyal Shawa (Princeton University), the Treasury of Lives, and the Buddhist Digital Resource Center (BDRC).