Choijin Lama Temple

Ulaanbaatar · Mongolia · Museum

In the old temple of the state oracle, where lamas in trance let spirits speak through them, disembodied voices are heard to this day.

The temple in central Ulaanbaatar was built in the early 1900s for Choijin Lama Luvsankhaidav, Mongolia's state oracle, who in deep trance let the guardian spirits speak through his mouth before the court. It still holds ceremonial masks, embalmed lamas and tantric deities crowned with skulls. The oracle's practice was shut down in 1938 when the monasteries were crushed, but the building was spared as a museum — and it is said to be haunted. Staff and visitors tell of disembodied voices, sudden cold and the feeling that the oracle's spirits never left their halls.

FAQ

Where is Choijin Lama Temple located?

Choijin Lama Temple is in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

More haunted places in Ulaanbaatar

• Erdene Zuu Monastery Övörchangaj · Monastery

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: Dan Nevill from Seattle, WA, United States · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons