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GURBA TEMPLES - MONGOLIA
Erdene Zuu monastery still retains today much of its former glory and the remains of many religious objects. There are three temples (Gurba Temple) in the compound, which were not destroyed in the 1930s. These temples are dedicated to the three stages of Buddha's life, as a child, adolescent and adult, while outside the walls just two remain of four 'turtle rocks' that were once used to mark the boundaries of the city. Gurba Temples or Three Zuu Temples built between 1586 and 1674. "Three Zuu" the western temple of which was built by Abtai Khan and his son Gombodorj, stand in most sacred western side. Three statues of 8 idols are placed in the temple, the one on the left side depicting Sanjaa who, according to the religious mythology, was the first disseminator of religion before Buddha, the one of right being Jamba (the Holy Maitreya), disseminator of Buddhism after Buddha, and the one in the centre is Buddha in his old age.
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