Places of Interest
Lhasa
Located in the valley of the Lhasa River, Lhasa is a city with a long history. The city is home to over 30 ethnic groups, but the Tibetan people make up the greatest percentage. Lhasa is referred to as 'holy land', a translation from the Tibetan language and the Sunshine or Solar City, because of the amount of sunshine it receives, estimated at over 3,000 hours a year. Lhasa has many places of interest to visit and a culture and folklore that is both fascinating and unique.
The Potala Palace is situated on the Red Hill, Middle Beijing Road. It is the highest palace in the world, with the 13 storey main building standing at almost 120 metres. It was built in the 7th century and comprises of two parts, the Red Palace and the White Palace.
It is where the Dalai Lamas reside and have done so for thousands of years. Within the palace there are many treasures from the Tibetan culture, as well as a large collection of Buddhist statues, murals, scriptures and jewellery. The Potala Palace has been placed on the World Cultural Heritage List.
The Gandain Monastery can be found in Dagze County, approx. 60 kilometres from Lhasa. It is one of the six main monasteries of the Gelug Sect and was built in the 15th century by the sect's founder, Zonggaba. The main buildings in the monastery are the Coqin Hall and Yangbagyain Sutra Institute.
The Sera Monastery is another of the main monasteries of the Gelug Sect. It was built in 1419 by one of Zonggaba's disciples, Sakya Yeshi. Every year, on the 27th day of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, the monastery holds the Sera Bungchen Festival, which attracts Buddhists from throughout China.
The Drepung Monastery is located on Kainpe Wuze Mountain, five kilometres from Lhasa. It was built in 1416 and is the largest of the monasteries of the Gelug Sect. Covering a vast area of 250,000 square metres, it once housed more than 10,000 monks. Every year in August, the monastery holds the Shoton Festival. One of the festivals main activities is 'sunning the Buddha'.
The Jokhang Monastery is located in the centre of Lhasa. It was built in the 7th century and shows the architectural styles of Han, Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese, because of those who presided over its construction; the Tang Princess Wen Cheng, Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti and King Songtsan Gambo.
It is a four-storey building, with a golden canopy. The Hall of Amitayus is at its centre, symbolising the nuclear of the universe and the Hall of Sakyamuni is the quintessence of the whole monastery.
Barkhor Street is a 500-metre street that surrounds the Jokhang Monastery. Because of its length it serves as a way along which pilgrims walk around the monastery, turning prayer wheels in their hands. It is also a large commercial centre, with a vast selection of Tibetan handicrafts, food and drink available in roadside stores.
Norbu Lingka in Tibetan means 'lovely garden,' or 'Precious Park.' It was first constructed during the 1740's, in the western suburbs of Lhasa and is the summer palace of the Dalai Lamas. For centuries the Dalai Lamas have used the area as a sanatorium and over the past 200 years it has grown into one of the largest Tibetan-style Palace gardens, covering 36 hectares.
Xigaze
Built more than 500 years ago Xigaze is an ancient cultural city some 3,800 metres above sea level. It served as the main headquarters for the Bainqen Erdini Lamas and to its south is Qomolangma Peak (Mt. Everest).
The Tashilhunpo Monastery is at the foot of Nyima Mountain on the outskirts of Xigaze. It was built in 1447 by the first Dalai Lama, Gedun Zhuiba and has over the years been greatly expanded by later Bainqen Lamas.
The monastery enshrines a 22.4 metre high gilded bronze statue of Qiangba Buddha, the largest of its kind in the world.
The Xalu Monastery is approx. 30 kilometres from Xigaze. Built in 1000, it has a mixture of Tibetan and Han, architectural styles. It is famous for its Buddhist scriptures, carved in sandalwood and houses some of the finest murals in Tibet.
Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) is located in Tingri County and borders Nepal. The tallest mountain in the world stands at 8,848.13 metres and is surrounded by over 40 peaks topping 7,000 metres, in an area covering 5,000 square kilometres.
Shannan
Considered as the birthplace of Tibetan culture, Shannan Prefecture is located on the southern bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River and is 3,600 metres above sea level.
The Yarlung Scenic Area is beautifully picturesque, with snow-capped mountains, river valleys, glaciers and pasturelands. It has over 40 scenic spots and many historical and cultural sites:
Yombulagang Palace is the first palace in Tibetan history. It is believed that the palace was built in the second century B.C., by the first king Nyatri Tsanpo. There are statues of the three-world Buddhas and Tsanpos within the palace.
The Changzhug Monastery was built in the 7th century, so is thought to have the earliest Buddhist hall in history. The monastery houses a Thangka picture of a Buddha, inlaid with pearls and other gems.
The Samyae Monastery is located on the northern bank of the Yarlung Zangbo River and was built in 779. It was the first monastery built for the monks of Tibet, by king Trisong Detsen and Master Padmasambhava. Its main feature is its three-storey central hall. Each storey has a different architectural style: Tibetan, Han and Indian. There are also many relics of great cultural importance, such as bronze bells, carved marble lions and tablets, marking Buddhism's development.
The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings have a history of over 1,300 years. It is the burial ground of the 29th-40th Tsanpos of the Turbo Kingdom. Only nine tombs are visible, with only 2 of them verified as Songstan Gambo and Trisong Detsen.
