"Lhasa, the capital of pilgrims" Top 5 Page for this destination Lhasa by tompt

Lhasa Travel Guide: 477 reviews and 1,184 photos

The Potala seen from the roof of the Jokhang

Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet. It was also the city of the Dalai Lamas and it now is the capital of the pilgrims. Many Tibetans come to the city to walk the pilgrim routes like the Barkhor, around the Jokhang temple, or the Nangkhor, inside the Jokhang, and the Lingkhor, a traditional route around the city. There is also a Kora around the Potala palace, the palace of the Dalai Lama.

old city, but a lot of modern chinese stuff

The city has a population of 200,000 who live at an elevation of 3595 meters. It became the capital of Tibet when Songsten Gampo in the 7th century unified Tibet. He built a palace at the hill you will find the Potala now. And the Jokhang and Ramoche temple were established to house the Buddha statues of his two wives.
Later the power shifted to Sakya, Xigaze. To come back to Lhasa in 1642 when the 5th Dalai Lama built his palace (the Potala) on the ruins of the palace of Songsten Gampo.

traditional dancers, Tibet

The traditional Tibetan arts and dances can still be found in Tibet, although this was a dance special for the tourists, we saw this kind of dances later at a festival at the Sakya Monastery too.

Last visit to Lhasa: Jul 2004
Intro Updated Apr 2, 2006
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Reviews (27)

Sera Monastery Things to Do (9)

Sera Monastery is one of the 3 largest monasteries of the Gelugpa. It is located at north of Lhasa at the foot of the... more travel advice

The Golden Yak, in the back (left) Potala Palace - Lhasa

The Golden Yak Monument Things to Do (9)

The Golden Yak monument is another monument to symbolize the liberation of the Tibetan people from the feodal structures... more travel advice

noodle soup (or thukpa) and momo - Lhasa

Momo Restaurants (3)

One of our favorite tibetan dishes are the momos. It is a dough with filling. You can get the variety with meat or the... more travel advice

Uphill to Drepung Monastery Transportation (2)

This little tractor will take you uphill to the Drepung Monastery. From the road where the regular bus from Lhasa... more travel advice

Local Customs (6)
See All undercover monks
Off The Beaten Path (2)
See All Ani Sangkhung Nunnery

Favorites (4)
See All work is no fun here
Hotels (1)
great atmosphere

Travelogues (4)

1 - 4 of 4

Comments (8)

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Jim_Eliason Apr 2, 2006 at 11:52 AM

great tips I can't wait to get here!
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mypriority Oct 12, 2005 at 1:26 AM

tompt, i'm planning for tibet trip this December, but still undecided on how to reach Lhasa. i am thinking about a flight from kathmandu to lhasa. is it a good choice? i plan for a week in kathmandu and a week in lhasa..thanks,
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dfactor Jun 7, 2005 at 12:41 AM

Nice pictures you've of Tibet here. Guess I'll have to come back to your site for more reading.
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Confucius Apr 15, 2005 at 4:07 AM

Que Sera Sera Monastery, whatever will be, will be
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iwys Dec 26, 2004 at 12:26 PM

I'd love to visit Tibet. It has so much in common with Mongolia. I can see why they formed a dual theocracy.
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filipdebont Oct 5, 2004 at 8:54 AM

Prachtige page, de herinneringen komen terug boven . . .
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sachara Oct 2, 2004 at 8:25 AM

Prachtig om Tibet en Lhasa terug te zien! Fantastische pagina, tips en travelogues !
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mvtouring Aug 26, 2004 at 9:15 AM

Nice photo's and tips. Will be back to see if more are posted than the current two. Always nice to see places thru someone else's eyes. Thanks for sharing :-)