The county town of Gongkar Xian is of note for hosting Tibet’s only public Chairman Mao statue, located next to a school west of the town centre. The 12m-tall icon, erected in 2006, has more to do with the town’s economic connections to Mao’s home province of Húnán than with a major ideological statement. It's 9km east of the airport.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
26.58 MILES
The magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is Lhasa's cardinal landmark. Your…
26.54 MILES
The 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet: the continuous waves of awestruck pilgrims prostrating themselves outside are a…
26.83 MILES
The main assembly hall, or Tsogchen, is the principal structure in the Drepung complex and is the one chapel you must not miss. The hall is reached…
29.56 MILES
This is the largest of Sera’s colleges, generally accessed from a western side entrance. It has a breathtaking main hall, hung with thangkas and lit by…
10.08 MILES
Surprisingly large, the Sakyapa-school Gongkar Chöde Monastery, founded in 1464, is famous for its 16th-century Kyenri-style murals. It lies 400m south of…
29.53 MILES
The main assembly hall (Tsogchen) is the largest of Sera’s buildings and dates to 1710. The central hall is particularly impressive and is noted for its…
26.94 MILES
If you’re here in the afternoon, save some time to watch the monk debating (lots of shouting, hand slapping and gesticulation) between 2.30pm and 4pm in…
25.94 MILES
This hidden corner of Lhasa features more than 5000 painted rock carvings that were created on the back side of Chagpo Ri over the course of a millennium…
Nearby Ü attractions
0.49 MILES
Built in the 14th century as a Sakya monastery with five colleges and 80 monks at its peak, this post–Cultural Revolution rebuild is now home to just 20…
8.26 MILES
Along with Mindroling Monastery, Dorje Drak (3520m) is one of the two most important Nyingmapa monasteries in Ü, both considered among the six great…
10.08 MILES
Surprisingly large, the Sakyapa-school Gongkar Chöde Monastery, founded in 1464, is famous for its 16th-century Kyenri-style murals. It lies 400m south of…
11.23 MILES
Hikers and anyone who likes to get well off the beaten track will enjoy this excursion to Tibet’s largest nunnery, set in a large natural bowl about 55km…
11.55 MILES
The impressive 600-year-old Shedruling Monastery rises from the main road like a miniature Potala, and is home to 31 monks. The monastery is less…
16.66 MILES
This significant but small monastery is jam-packed with ancient relics and hidden treasures. It’s only 30 minutes' drive southwest of Lhasa and is worth a…
21.66 MILES
This small Sakyapa monastery of 20 monks is of interest mainly to art specialists for its rare murals, which combine Indian (Pala) and inner Asian …
22.35 MILES
The 13-storey chörten, built in 1472, was one of the largest in Tibet, with an attendant monastery of 200 monks, before it was dynamited by the Chinese in…