Major Attraction Places
of Central Tibet and other information
Remote and isolated by the most
formidable mountain ranges in the World,
Tibet – the ultimate travel destination
- is now within your search.
Potala Palace: The dominant landmark of
Lhasa 117 meters above the city below.
Construction started on the red hill in
1645 under the 5th Dalai Lama. An
immense building, 13 storey high with
walls 3 meters thick Containing over
1000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000
statues it was both the residence of the
current Dalai Lama and tomb of the
former ;Heads of state. The entire
building is made of stone and wood and
covers an area of 130,000 square meters.
The Potala is full of elaborate art work
and frescos that tell many stories.
Narbulingka – summer palace: On the
banks of the Kyichi River, there is a
tree and flower filled pard known as the
Norbulingka or the Jewel Park covering a
total area of 360,000 square meters, the
park was originally laid out in the
1750s. There are fountains, pavilions,
terraces and stone tablets where
visitors may rest amidst the numerous
kinds of flowers and various colours.
The whole park consists of two main
parts – Norbulingka at the Eastern area
and Jianselingka at the Western area.
Norbulingka is also the site of the
summer palace of the Dalai Lamas (8th to
14th). The small palace of the 13th
Dalai Lama is an odd mix of traditional
Tibetan architecture and modern
paraphernalia, such as a Philips
radiogram and Victorian bathroom
fittings! At Naobulingka you will also
find the one and only zoo in Tibet.
Jokhang Temple + Barkhor Bazaar: The
foremost monastery in Tibet, built in
the 7th century AD and now housing the
most prized Buddhist relic, a 1300 year
old Sakyamuni Buddha statue. The main
section of the temple is topped with
golden roofs found nowhere else except
in Tibet. Watch the many worshippers pay
their respects and prostrating
themselves at the main gate. The
monastery is encircled with the Barkhor
Bazaar a sacred pilgrim path, but also a
lively & colourful market where you can
bargain over such treasures a ornate
long-bladed knives, prayer wheels and
exquisite jewelry.
Sera Monastery: Sera is more like a
small town on the outskirts of Lhasa at
the base of Tatipu hill. It is the main
teaching monastery and one of the three
great Gelukpa 'Universities'- once
housing more than 5500 monks.
Here one can see the young novices
learning scriptures in the Debating
Garden and being rewarded for a correct
answer with a resounding hand-clap from
their Master, Sera is also the
birthplace of Tibetan medicine.
Drepung Monastery: Drepung monastery is
situated in the west suburbs of Lhasa
city. Formerly the largest and richest
monastery in the world with 10,000 manks
(now 400). It is the size of a small
town and lies sprawled over the size of
a small town and lies sprawled over the
side of a mountain 8 km from Lhasa. Of
particular interest is the medieval
monk's kitchen with its great cauldrons
of steaming barley 'stamp' sitting on
top of huge earthen stoves and tented by
saffron-robed monks wielding massive
ladles….
From the roof of the monastery one can
enjoy the natural beauty of the Lhasa
valley to one's heart content.
Tsurpu: Tsurpu monastery I built on the
north side of the river in the Dowo Lung
Valley. This is the home of Karmapa,
Karmapa is the true 'living little
Buddha' – the new reincarnated leader of
the black hat sect. He is the only
spiritual leader actually living in
Tibet. The recent recognised 17th
Karmapa can be visited by all visitors.
Tsurpu monastery was built in 12th
century. Tsurpu is the riches monastery
in Tibet.
Gyantse: Once Tibet's third most
important city, lying in the Nyangchu
valley along the main routes from India
and Nepal to Lhasa. In former times it
was a fort, the centre of Tiber's wool
trade and a gateway to the outside
world. Other spots of interest: Palcho
monastery and the Kumbum Pagoda.
Shigatse: Shigaste is Tibet's second
largest city. It is the administrative
centre for 18countries in southern and
western Tibet. Besides its fiche
cultural heritage, Shigatse has and
abundance of native fruits and products.
At the bazaar, there are more than 300
stalls selling local produce as well as
colourful and elaborate handicraft,
accessories, antiques and porcelains.
In Shigatse one can also find Tashilumpo
monastery, the seat of the Panchen Lama.
The Monastery, built in 1447 by a nephew
of Tsong Khapa once housed over 4000
Monks, but now there are only 600.
Sakya Monastery
In 1073 Gongjue Jiebu of the Kun family
built a monastery on the north bank of
Zongqu River to teach his new esoteric
theory of Buddhism. He was convinced
that the monastery built on such a site
would light the mundane world. Because
the monastery was built by a chalky
hill, it was named Sakya, meaning chalky
earth in Tibetan. The Sakya Monastery
built by (popular known as the North
Temple) became inadequate for rising and
evermore powerful Sakya establishment. A
larger monastery, which is still
standing today, was built on the south
bank of Zongqu River by the Kun house
and Pagpa, a well-known Tibetan in the
Mongolian imperial court of the 13th
century. This monastery, now popularly
known as the South Sakya, sits against
the backdrop of snow-capped mountains
165 kilometers west of Shigatse. In 1260
Pagpa was appointed the imperial tutor
and later placed in charge of Buddhist
affairs. Kublai Khan then appointed him
ruler of Tibet.
When the visitor approaches this massive
structure, he will see a great monastery
in an imposing square citadel. The outer
wall is painted red, white and black,
each representing the different
manifestations of Buddha, a unique
feature of Sakya. The Lakang Qinmu Hall,
the main structure in the complex,
occupies an area of 5,500 square meters
with a height of over 10 meters.
According to monastery records, the hall
had 108 giant columns. Now there are
only 40 left, with many anecdotes about
them. The entire complex gives a feeling
of solemnity laden with the weight of
history.
Samye:
Built in the mid-8th century, Samye is
the first formal Buddhist Monastery with
the Buddha Dharma and Sangha in Tibet.
The whole construction of the monastery,
for the stupas forest-like, the building
high and expansive, the scale grand and
broad, is designed in accordance with
the shape of "mandala" layout, and
furthermore, the monastery is well-known
to the whole 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 "an unimaginable
construction and incomparable
monastery". Over the centuries it has
come under the influence of the Nyingma,
Sakya and Geluk schools and is thus
considered a symbol of Tibet’s national
identity.
Tsetang (Zetang):
Tsetang (Zetang), the birthplace of
earliest Tibetans, sits on the south
bank in the middle section of the
Yarlung Tsangbo River Traduk Monastery
is one of the earliest Buddhist temples
in Tibetan history. Built in 641 A.D.,
it is said that King Songtsan Gampo
established the temple to suppress the
ogress in order to prosper his kingdom.
And later it became the winter palace of
King Songtsan Gampo and Princess
Wencheng in Shannan. Of all the
treasures and relics kept in this
monastery, the pearled Tangka -- "Avalokitesvara
at his rest" is the most remarkable. |