In the north-east of Kyôto City, on the summit of the approx. 850 m high Hiei-zan mountain, is the Enryaku-ji, the main temple of the Buddhist Tendai School, founded by the monk Saichô (767-822) in the 8th century by order of Emperor Kammu (737-806) to protect the imperial city. The monastery, which became increasingly powerful in the following centuries, maintained an influential and feared army of monks who saw themselves as the protective power of the capital. The Enryaku-ji was closely linked to the imperial court, both religiously and politically. In 1571, Oda Nobunaga destroyed the entire temple complex. The entire monastery was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 along with other sites.
other temples
