“Living at the top of the mountain has begun to cast a curious spell over me. At dawn the silence is utter and absolute. From the balconies on clear mornings, I can trace the course of both great rivers, the Amu and the Polongo...” — Will Denison
The Tentpole of the Sky is monastery of Tibetan design, high in the Forbidden Mountains and built in that remote location to offer seclusion to its inhabitants. It is where Will Denison and Sylvia Romano travelled to complete their training as Skybax Riders and were hosted by Levka Gambo.
At night, bells are rung to announce the onset of night, which is called the "raising of the black tent."
The saurian inhabitants of Dinotopia recognized that some newcomers to the island needed an isolated place to relefect and come to terms with all that they had lost. The remote location, far from reminders of Dinotopia's differences to the outside world, was meant to be a place of thought and relfection until newcomers were ready to take on a new life.
Since no permanent trails can be maintained in the difficult and changing terrain, supples are ferried in by floating zepplins called Sky Gallies. Visiting Sky Gallies are anchored to the monastery by a large bronze ring set in the stone while they load or unload cargo.
The Tentople of the Sky contains a map room, housed in the basement of the building, with charts from all over Dinotopia. Extensive maps of the World Beneath are housed there among the collection of surface charts.