Kirti Monastery, right in the centre of Aba town, is one of the largest Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the Amdo region of eastern Tibet. Founded in the 18th century and affiliated with the Gelug school, it houses several hundred monks and functions as the religious heart of the community. The main assembly hall contains impressive thangka paintings and a large gilt statue of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelug tradition.
Visiting requires sensitivity. Monks are going about their daily lives, and photography inside the temples should only be done with permission. Come in the early morning when prayers are underway and the butter lamp smoke fills the halls. The monastery sits adjacent to a busy market street where you can buy Tibetan religious objects, yak products, and local provisions.