The Mongolians have always been a people tolerant of different religions. The court of the Great Khan was home to a number of different religions and churches, which competed for the Khan’s favor. Tibetan Buddhism spread through Mongolia in the 16th century and is now the dominant religion in the country. Shamanism and animist beliefs were prevalent in Mongolia before the 16th century and continue today in certain regions. During the communist purges of the 1930s, more than 600 temples were destroyed and much of Mongolia’s religious heritage was lost. However, in the 1990s restoration began on temples and lamaseries across the country and today there are numerous examples of unique Mongolian Buddhist architecture and cultural history.