Enryaku-ji

Compos-chūdō ( 根本中堂 ), the main building of the monastery

The monastery Enryaku-ji ( Japanese 延暦寺 ) is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Japan , founded in 788 by the monk Saichō , on the mountain Hiei near the then capital Heian-kyō (today's Kyoto ).

Soon the temple dedicated to Yakushi - nyorai was expanded to include the so-called compos-chūdō ( 根本中堂 , main hall), in which all members of the monastery come together for important events.

On the mountain, too, many temples were built in each valley - at the height of the power of Enryaku-ji, it is said to have been 3000. The temple complex itself is divided into three sections: Tōdō ( 東塔 , eastern pagoda ) with the compos-chūdō and the most important buildings, Saitō ( 西塔 , western pagoda) and Yokawa ( 横川 ).

It has been the headquarters of the Tendai movement since the beginning . Many famous Buddhist monks and several people who later became the founders of other schools studied there: Hōnen , Shinran , Eisai , Dōgen and Nichiren . Even today, Enryaku-ji is an important center of Buddhism in Japan. Fifty-six jushoku live in it , around a hundred monks and a thousand students. Next to the temple is Hieizan University .

The Enryaku-ji was religiously as well as politically closely connected with the imperial court, especially in the Middle Ages. In 1571 Oda Nobunaga burned most parts of the monastery because it was making pacts with its opponents. The current buildings were restored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi , Tokugawa Ieyasu, and other daimyo .

The entire monastery was founded in 1994 along with other sites as UNESCO - World Heritage Historic Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) registered.