Lhasa located at an altitude of 3607m. The name Lhasa comes from Tibetan word which means goat dirt suggesting that the city was built on dirt carried by goats. People also call it the city of sun because of its excellent sunshine at the high altitude. The attractions of the city are Potala palace and Jokhang temple and the antique architecture of the buildings.
Potala palace is the greatest monumental structures and one of the chief attractions of Tibet. The stunningly beautiful 13 stories palace sits atop the Red Hill, It is decorated with breathtaking architecture with 1000 halls and 10,000 chapels. Beams and pillars line the palace with frescos and murals that tell some religious facts or narrate a historic event.
The palace was constructed in two phases as Red Palace and White palace, much of which remains today. The White palace constructed in 1645 to 1648 consisted of Dalai Lama’s residence and the Red Palace consists of architectures.
Located in the heart of Lhasa, Jokhang is considered to be the most important temple in Tibet. Jokhang means a Buddhist temple. It was built by King Srong-tsan-gam-po and Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti. Later Princess Jin-Cheng after marrying into Tibet moved all relics of Princess Wen-Cheng here. The temple has a statue of seated Sakyamuni which people believe was sculptured by Buddha, himself.
Sera monastery is one of the well-known Buddhist Temple, which is few kilometers away northern Lhasa.
It was built in 1419 by Saga Yeshes, one of the disciples of Zongkaba founder of the Gelug sect of Buddhism. Its many white building sit at the base of a rocky hill.
Drepung Monastery built in 1416 as an institute of higher Buddhist education in the northern outskirts of Lhasa. Drepung monastery used to one of Tibet’s largest monastic universities. Its housed about ten thousand monk students from various countries like China, India and Russia and Mongoloia.
Ganden (Buddha blessed) Monastery was founded in 1409 by Tsong-khapa and It was destroyed in the 60's, and it's still in the process of re-built., Ganden Monastery is the first and the main monastery of the Gelug sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It is located at a vantage point from where viewers can get an excellent view of the Lhasa valley.
Norbhu Lingka is another of the beautiful monasteries in Lhasa. The monastery is stunningly beautiful as suggested by the name which means a visiting park in Tibetan language. Quing governor Chi-Shan constructed the original buildings on a wet land near a river in the eighteenth century which soon became the summer haven for Dalai Lamas who spent 10 months every year in this monastery.
Xigatse is a prefecture and also a small town 255 km west of Lhasa with many interesting places to visit. The city which once used to be capital of Tibet, houses the famous and beautiful Tashilhunpo monastery
Tashilhunpo, which literally means lucky mountain, is the largest of the four major monasteries of Tibet. The first Dalai Lama built it in 1447 and also served as the first Abott of the Monastery. Later, it became the residence of the Panchen Lamas, who are believed to be the emanation of Buddha O – Pa – Me, Buddha of eternal light.
The third largest city of Tibet, Gyantse, is famous for the battle it and its people fought against the British troops in 1903. Even today, the horses and carts lining the streets of this city on the Kathmandu Lhasa highway give an impression of a frontier city. Also known as the `City of Heroes', This 700 hundred years old agricultural town in Gyangzê County of Shigatse Prefecture 3977 metres (13050 feet) above sea level and 230 km west of Lhasa is also well known for its carpet production. Palchor (Pelkor) Temple
The major attraction of is the Kumbum and the Pelkor Chode monastery. The Kumbum was commissioned in 1440. It raises over four symmetrical floors plus two upper floors and is capped with a gold dome. Approximately 70 chapels are housed in the Kumbum and a total of 108 of them as per the Buddhist tradition. True to name Kumbum – whose literal meaning is 10,000 images – the walls are filled with 10,000 murals.
It is the threshold to the pilgrims or travelers to Mount Kailash. The city on the way to the Mount Kailash is the last point connected with road. Also known as Chusar.
Namtso Lake is one of the most beautiful places at the altitude of 4720m. Namtso is the salt-water lake located in the highest altitude in world with an area of 1961 square km, Namtso is the largest lake in Tibet and second in China only after the Quinghai Lake.
Namtso, whose literal meaning is 'Heavenly Lake.' stands as the symbols of purity and solemn ness of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with its immense natural beauty. It is considered one of the three holy lakes in Tibet.
Tsetang is the capital of the Shannan region and the birthplace of earliest Tibetans, sits on the south bank in the middle section of the Yarlung Tsangbo River with a moderate climate at an altitude of 3,600m. It is bounded by the capital city Lhasa to the north, Xigaze to the west, Nyingchi to the east and India and Bhutan to the south. The nearby Yarlung River scenic area is a national scenic park with Samye Monastery, Yumbu Lakang Palace and burial site for Tsampos and Traduk Monastery spotting the region.
Built in the mid-8th century, Samye is the first formal Buddhist Monastery with the Buddha Dharma and Sangha in Tibet. Expansively constructed monastery is designed in the shape of "mandala" layout, it is well-known to the world for the highlighted and mixed perfection of Han, Tibetan and Indian architecture style in the main hall and the numerous relics such as wood and stone carvings, frescos and statues kept in the monastery. As described in a historical book, this monastery is considered as "an unimaginable construction and incomparable monastery
