Tashilunpo Monastery Tashilunpo Monastery is located to the west of Shigatse, 280 kilometers to the west of Lhasa city by paved road. The elevation of the monastery and the city is 3820 meters. First founded in 1447, Tashilunpo Monastery is the largest Yellow Hat sect monastery in Tibet. Shigaste is Tibet’s second most important city and Tashilunpo was the seat of the Panchen Lamas. Tashilunpo contains chortens, temples and the Panchen Lama’s palace. At its peak, Tashilunpo had more than 4,000 monks in its 4 monasteries. Upon the death of a Panchen Lama, it was the 4 abbots of these monasteries that would lead the search for his infant reincarnation. Within the monastery there is a 5 story temple, which contains a 26 meters (86ft) sitting statue of the Maitreya Buddha. The statue was cast from 6,700 ounces of gold and over 115,000 kg of copper, making it the biggest copper Buddhist statue in the world.