The trend of building fortified Buddhist monasteries was started from the 14th century onwards.
Dhankar Monastery also spelt Drangkhar or Dhangkar Gompa; Brang-mkhar or Grang-mkhar, situated in the Spiti Valley between the towns of Kaza and Tabo at an elevation of 3894m is a fort monastery similar to the Key Monastery and Tangyud Monastery in Spiti built in the Central Tibetan pattern [REF].