The eastern part of Ikh Khuree is called Zuun Khuree and the western part was called Gandan or Gandantegchinlen. The first Gandantegchinlen monastery was built in 1809 on the Dalkh hills, but with the different name of Shar sum
(literally Yellow Monastery).

Later the Shar monastery was transformed to the Choir monastery, then in 1824 was transformed to a Lamiran temple. In 1838 it was dedicated to the fifth Bogd Javzandamba and called Gandantegchinlen and the Dashchoinkhor and Yadgachoilin temples were built.

Later the monastery was further expanded and a new Tsogchin temple was built in 1839, Badamyogo in 1844, Jud temple in 1848, Gungaachoilin in 1909 and Megjid Janraisig in 1913 dedicated to the eighth Bogd Javzandamba.

Also in 1841 a temple for the fifth Bogd’s was built, in 1869 for the seventh Bogd and in 1925 for the eighth Bogd. On the back side of the monastery there were 20 stupas.

Only 6 temples survived from the monasteries and starting from 1944, worship ceremonies restarted. Gandantegchinlen monastery has many rare and ancient books, codex, and antiques. One of them is a bronze casting which G. Zanabazar himself made for his mother as she requested, Zonkhova, the inventor of Buddhist yellow religion.

Silver sculptures made in XVI century by Oirad people weighing 15 kilograms, paintings of gods, cast of Gods made in India and Tibet, a Lyukeshvar’s shape made by rosewood from Bhutan, Ayush god figures made in Poland in the 20th century and Inner Mongolia made object can all by found here.

Shagjamun’s figure made by Dambadarjaa and Danzan lamas in 1956 dedicated to the 2500th anniversary of the birth of Buddha. Buddha figure made some 2000 years ago by Indian craftsmen, which Indian Prime Minister Javaharlal Neru presented in 1957. Part of the Buddha relics and Silver god was brought from Sri Lanka are all here at Gandantegchinlen monastery.

Zuu temple was established in 1869 devoted to the seventh Bogd Javzandamba. Engravings of Buddha with his 2 followers made in Dolnuur in the 19th century, Lkhamo, the girl deity engraving made by famous Mongolian etcher Shirchin are in this temple. The temple was built using stone, bricks and wood and has gold plated pinnacles and enamel ceramic roof tiles.

Didan-Laviran temple, which was the library of the fifth Bogd Chultemjigmeddambiijaltsan was later used by 13th Tsapai lama in 1904. The current library of Gandantegchinlen monastery is in a new temple built in 1926 and it houses the 108 volumes of Ganjuur book and 225 volumes of Danjuur book. It also contains many special religious books written by Bogd Zonkhova, Banchin Bogd, Dalai Lama, over 70 famous Mongolian scholars and Tibet writers including Agvaanbaldan, Agvaankhaidav, Agvaandandar, Sumbakhamba and Ishbaljir. There are many Tibetan and Mongolian books and codex written in Mongolian, Oirad, Sanskrit, Devanagar and Pali using gold, silver and 9 kinds of precious stones.

In 1958, as part of the anniversary of the establishment of Buddhism, a stupa and 11 gers, each having 108 poles to support the roof, were erected. Each of the gers can hold up to 80 people. A new perimeter was built in 1981-1982 and restoration work has been carried out on many of the temples. In 1992 the Duinkhor temple was newly built and in 1995 the Dashchoimbol temple.

Primary construction materials of the temples are wood, stone, brick, blue and enameled ceramics. The exterior of the temples feature golden pinnacles, antelopes, deer, and bells in keeping with religious traditions. The Gandantegchinlen monastery came under state protection in 1994.