Namgyal Monestery was founded by the third Dalai Lama in the late 16th century to assist him in carrying out his religious activities.
Since then, the monestery has exclusively served the Dalai Lama's. In Tibet, 175 Namgyal monks and their monestery were located in the Potala palace, performing spritual duties and religious ceremonies for the both Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government. A distinctive feature of this monestery is its diversity of practice: prarers and rituals of all the major schools of Tibetan buddhism are perform by Namgyal monks.
The monestery is now situated next to the central cathedral. On the path along the monestery, young monks can often be seen playing badminton and in the afternoon and evening practising debate in the courtyard leading to His Holiness residence. At present, the monestery has around 200 monks, of which the young monks study the major texts of Buddhist tantra and sutra.
Namgyal monestery also has a caf'e, bookshop and guesthouse adjuscent to theTsuglagkhang.
