Italy's first Tibetan Buddhist monastery to be built in Pomaia

Italy's first Tibetan Buddhist monastery will be built in Pomaia di Santa Luce, Pisa, on a former quarry site, combining spiritual purpose with environmental restoration. The project is led by Fondazione Sangha ETS and Associazione Monastica Sangha Lhungtok Choekhorling, with architect Gino Zavanella, known for designing the Juventus Stadium, overseeing the design. The monastery will feature a Parco della Contemplazione e della Pace open to the public, use renewable energy, and accommodate over 100 monks and nuns. It aims to become a new reference center for Tibetan Buddhism in Europe. The idea originated from Lama Yeshe and Ghesce Ciampa Ghiatso during a stay in Kopan, Nepal, and responds to the growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism in Italy, centered around the nearby Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa. The monastery will be built on rock, echoing traditional Tibetan construction, and will rehabilitate land damaged by excavation.