At the foot of Sera Utse Mountain, 3 km north of Lhasa, Sera Monastery is one of Tibet's "Three Great" Gelug monasteries, alongside Drepung and Ganden. Founded in 1419 by Jamchen Chojey, a disciple of Tsongkhapa, it got its name from wild roses ("sera" in Tibetan) that once bloomed here.

Covering 110,000 square meters, the monastery features grand white-and-red buildings with golden roofs, including the massive Tsokhang Hall and three academic colleges. It's most famous for vibrant monastic debates held daily, a living tradition of Buddhist philosophy learning.

Housing precious Buddha statues, murals and ancient scriptures, Sera Monastery is not only a sacred Buddhist site but also a masterpiece of Tibetan architecture and a center for preserving Tibetan culture.