Things to do in Lhasa
Top sights and attractions to build your days around once you know when to go.
Potala Palace
Potala Palace is a museum complex in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It was formerly the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas, and from 1649 until 1959 served as the Dalai Lamas' residence. The palace complex became a museum following the annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China.
Jokhang
The Jokhang, historically known as the Rasa Trulnang or Qoikang Monastery or Zuglagkang, is considered the "heart of Lhasa". The Jokhang consists of a Tibetan Buddhist temple, its temple complex, and a Gelug school monastery. Located in Barkhor Square, it was built in c.640 by King Songsten Gampo to house the Jowo Mikyo Dorje, a statue of Akshobhya Buddha, brought to Tibet by his Nepalese queen, Bhrikuti. Another statue, the Jowo Shakyamuni, brought by his Tang Chinese queen Wencheng, is currently housed in the temple and the Jowo Mikyo Dorje is housed in the Ramoche, in Lhasa.
Norbulingka
Norbulingka is a palace and surrounding park in Lhasa, Tibet built from 1755. It served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lama's exile in 1959. Part of the "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace", Norbulingka is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was added as an extension of this Historic Ensemble in 2001. It was built by the 7th Dalai Lama and served both as administrative centre and religious centre. It is a unique representation of Tibetan palace architecture.
Drepung Monastery
Drepung Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, is one of the "great three" Gelug monasteries of Tibet. The other two are Ganden Monastery and Sera Monastery. Drepung is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries and is located on the Gambo Utse mountain, five kilometers from the western suburb of Lhasa.
Sera Monastery
Sera Monastery is one of the "great three" Gelug university monasteries of Tibet, located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north of Lhasa and about 5 km (3.1 mi) north of the Jokhang. The original Sera Monastery is responsible for some 19 hermitages, including four nunneries, which are all located in the foothills north of Lhasa.
Lhasa Great Mosque
The Lhasa Great Mosque, also known as the Hebalin Mosque, is a mosque in Lhasa, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
Ramoche Temple
Ramoche Temple is a Buddhist monastery in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It dates back to the seventh century and is considered to be the most important temple in the city after the Jokhang Temple. It is in the northwestern part of Lhasa, east of the Potala and north of the Jokhang. The site occupies an area of 4,000 square meters.
Nechung
Nechung Monastery, Nechung Gompa or Nechung Chok, is the seat of the State Oracle of Tibet. It is also referred to as Sungi Gyelpoi Tsenkar, the "Demon Fortress of the Oracle King."
Tibet Museum
The Tibet Museum is the official museum of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China in Lhasa. Inaugurated on October 5, 1999, it is the first large, modern museum in the Tibet Autonomous Region. It has a collection of more than 520,000 artifacts, including pottery, jade, and Buddha statues, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. It has a collection of around 1,000 artifacts permanently on display related to the cultural history of Tibet, from examples of Tibetan art to architectural design throughout history such as Tibetan doors and beams. In order to fill the museum the Tibet aristocracy and religious establishment had their property confiscated by the Chinese Government.
Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet
The Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet stands in the southern part of the Potala Palace Square in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region just outside the protective zone and buffer zone of the World Heritage Site. It celebrates what the People's Republic of China calls the "Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" by the People's Liberation Army, or what the exiled Tibetan government calls the invasion and annexation of Tibet. The foundation stone was laid on July 18, 2001 by Hu Jintao, China's vice-president at the time. The monument was unveiled on May 22, 2002.
Tsomon Ling
Tsomon Ling, Tsomonling, Tsome Ling, Chomoling is a temple in inner Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, south of the Ramoche Temple, and on the corner of one of the main roads, Dekyi Shar Lam. It was one of the Four Royal Colleges or Regency Temples of Lhasa built during the 17th century after the Fifth Dalai Lama assumed both temporal as well as spiritual power. The other three Ling are Tengye Ling, Kunde Ling, and Drib Tsemchok Ling.
Pabonka Hermitage
Pabonka Hermitage, also written Pawangka, is a historical hermitage, today belonging to Sera Monastery, about 8 kilometres northwest of Lhasa in the Nyang bran Valley on the slopes of Mount Parasol in Tibet.
Places from Wikidata and Wikipedia.
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