Showing 1-6 of 6 results
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Barkhor
One cannot help but be swept up in the wondrous swell of humanity that is the Barkhor , not a sight per se but a kora (pilgrim circuit) that proceeds clockwise around the periphery of the Jokhang Temple. You'll swear it possesses some mystical spiritual gravity, as every time you approach within 50m, you somehow get sucked right in and gladly wind up making the whole circuit again!
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Barkhor Square
The square has become a focus for political protest and has been the scene of pitched battles between Chinese and Tibetans on several occasions, most noticeably in 1998 when several Tibetans were killed and a Dutch tourist was shot in the shoulder. Look for the video cameras recording everything from the rooftops above the square.
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Jokhang Temple
The 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple is the spiritual centre of Tibet. The waves of awestruck pilgrims prostrating themselves outside and the distinctive golden dome are mesmerising - planes could use the dome for navigation.Commemorating the marriage of the Tang princess Wencheng to King Songtsen Gampo, the temple was built atop a pool that the princess thought was a witch's heart.
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Potala
Lhasa's cardinal landmark, the Potala is one of the great wonders of world architecture. As has been the case with centuries of pilgrims before you, the first sight of the fortress-like structure will be a magical moment that you will remember for a long time. It's hard to peel your eyes away from the place.
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Potala Palace
What can one say about the magnificent and justifiably world-famous Potala Palace , once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas? You can't miss it - it's the one touching the sky. An architectural wonder even by modern standards, the palace rises 13 storeys from 130m-high Marpo Ri (Red Hill) and contains more than a thousand rooms.
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Shöl
Nestled at the southern foot of Marpo Ri, the former village of Shöl, (which means 'at the base of') was once Lhasa's red-light district, as well as the location of a prison, a printing press and some ancillary government buildings. Some of these buildings have been rebuilt, including an inn supposedly favoured by the sixth Dalai Lama and the residence of the monk police chief.
Showing 1-6 of 6 results
