After a catastrophic fire in February 2024 nearly destroyed the basic building of Chu Sup Tsang, Galicia’s first Buddhist monastery, the site in San Amaro, Ourense, has reopened and is preparing for a new phase of expansion. The blaze began in the wooden chimney and consumed the 400-square-metre Casa Madre. It destroyed wooden beams, along with sacred texts and ritual objects. Despite the scale of the loss, the monastic community quickly mobilized to rebuild, treating the disaster as a chance to clear the way for renewal.
Donations from around the world poured in after the fire, from small coins to impressive contributions. Insurance covered about 60% of reconstruction costs, while resident monastics helped speed up the work. They included Tenzing Palmo, a former architect from A Coruña, and Tenzing Ngeyung, an experienced international aid worker. The monastery also introduced enhanced safety measures to prevent future incidents.
The reopening at the end of July drew around 300 attendees, including Buddhist authorities and visitors from Asia. The event featured a forest conference by Gueshe Tenzing Tamding, the monastery’s founder and director, followed by a communal meal for 170 disciples. Once the Casa Madre’s dormitories were restored, philosophical activities resumed in August, starting with a week-long retreat for 60 participants. Monastics worked intensively to prepare the site for the relaunch, among them Tenzing Lobsang, a former Malaysian pop singer, and Ghen Dakpa Metruk from Tibet.
In the days leading up to the reopening, work continued at a frenetic pace. Monastics sourced pine bark to cover earth scarred by machinery. They bought affordable flowers for the entrance and transformed an old shed into the Shiné Café, despite a missing accent on its sign. Final touches included hanging Tibetan fabric doors and thangkas. The team also installed 52 yellow-painted iron flagpoles for thousands of prayer flags, each bearing the names of retreat families. The tradition, known as lungta, or “wind horse,” is believed to spread positive energy across the universe.
With the Casa Madre restored, Chu Sup Tsang is entering a planned growth phase. The first step, expected by 2027, is to install ten fully equipped wooden meditation cabins in the surrounding forest, each measuring between 27 and 42 square metres. Longer-term plans include a large gompa, or meditation hall, as well as a stupa, though both depend on the monastery’s finances. Covering 35,000 square metres, the site is set to become a major reference point for Buddhist practice in northwest Spain.
Chu Sup Tsang’s recovery comes against a broader backdrop of fire risk in Spain. In recent years, firefighters and communities have faced challenges from wildfire impacts and staffing pressures in areas such as Castilla y León. For example, fire services in Castilla y León have struggled with staff shortages and outdated equipment, reflecting the pressures on rural communities and the sites within them.
Chu Sup Tsang’s recovery reflects the ability to recover of its community and the support it received locally and internationally. The monastery has reopened to visitors and is preparing for further development, with new projects planned as it strengthens its presence in Galicia’s spiritual field.
