Lhasa - Tibet
Lhasa also known as "the Land of Gods" is located on the north bank of Kyichu
river, a tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River. It is the traditional capital
of Tibet and now the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's
Republic of China as well as the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama. Lhasa has a
history of more than 1300 years and is one of the highest city in the world. It
has been the center of politics, economy, culture and religion in Tibet since
ancient times. Surrounded by the majestic Himalayas, Lhasa is a mystical,
mysterious and a remote city with an impressive heritage and spiritual history
that defines the Tibetan culture. It is the most popular travel and tourist
destination of Tibet and has been seeing an increasing number of tourists each
year.
Popular Attractions of Lhasa,Tibet:
There are numerous scenic spots and historical attractions in Lhasa, the most popular ones are Potala Palace, Norbulingka, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple, Bargor street, Tibet Museum and Ramoche Temple.
Potala Palace in Lhasa,Tibet
Erected on top of a hill in Lhasa, Potala palace was the residence of Dalai Lama and is one of the most famous architectural building and religious sight of the country, today it is a museum open for visitors. The Potala is divided into two sections, namely, the Red Palace and White Palace. The Red Palace, contains the temples and reliquary tombs of the Dalai Lama, the White Palace served as the seat of government and the winter residence of Dalai Lama until he was forced to flee after unsuccessful revolt against Chinese rule in 1959. In the 7th century, after the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's marriage with Princess Wencheng of the Tang Court, the Palace was built for meditation. In the mid-17th century, it was re-built by the 5th Dalai Lama to its present size, and became the Winter Palace of the Dalai Lamas. The construction took 50 years and is truly a masterpiece of Tibetan architecture.
Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet
Jokhang Temple was built in the mid 7th century and later on was extended by successive rulers, it has now become a gigantic architecture complex. It is a four storied temple with splendid golden roofs. It has architecture feature of Tang Dynasty and also assimilated very much features from both Nepalese and Indian Buddhist Temples. This ancient temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet and was built as a shrine for a Buddha statue called Jowo Shakyamuni, which is richly decorated in jewels, brocade and silk bands.
This historical sight was built in 1416 and is considered to be one of the largest monasteries in the world with more than 10,000 monks living inside its walls during the time of religious activities.
Norbulingka in Lhasa, Tibet
This historic sight was built by the seventh Dalai Lama in the 18th century and served as the summer residence of the Dalai Lama. After 200 years extension and management, it has become one of typical Tibetan Palaces and gardens.
