Square, Plaza sights in Lhasa
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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.
Expect some kind of admission fee before long. There are plans for an exhibition hall, perhaps to include the famous three-dimensional mandala made of over 200,000 pearls that was formerly displayed inside the Potala.
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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.
The recent addition of several tacky fast food joints at the west end of the square is a shame. At least the Chinese resisted the temptation to plunk a Mao statue in the middle of it all.
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