They are situated on the ruins of Chongsheng Monastery at a distance of one km in the northwest of Dali In the time of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, Chongsheng Monastery was the largest in this area and the Three Pagodas were only part of it. Now the monastery has disappeared for long and what only remain are the Three Pagodas which stand magnificently like three giant swords piercing into the sky.