Ganden monastery (དགའ་ལྡན་རྒྱལ་གླིང་)was built in 1409 by Lama Tsongkhapa. It is one of the ‘great three’ Gelukpa university monasteries of Tibet (other two are Sera and Drepung), located in 36 kilometers from the Potala Palace in Lhasa, at an altitude of 4,300m.
Lama Tsongkhapa was born in Amdo (Eastern Tibet) but came to the central Tibet to study Buddha Dharma from different masters. After many years of intense studying he became an excellent master and many people came to be his disciples. In 1409 he organized the first great prayer festival in Lhasa and at that time many monks requested him to build Ganden monastery with their support.
Lama Tsongkhapa was the founder of Gelug order of Tibetan Buddhism, which is mainly based on the Kadam tradition, which was first introduced by Atisha in XI century. tisha’s Lamrim inspired Tsongkhapa to write Lamrim Chenmo, which became the main text among followers of Gelug tradition.