Potala Palace

Located on the Moburi Mountain northwest of Lhasa city, the palace is well-known. It is the essence of Tibetan architecture. It was built in the seventh century by King Songtsan Gambo (617 - 650) for his bride, the Han nationality Princess Wen Cheng. It had 999 rooms, plus the original red tower, one thousand rooms in all. It has been repaired and renovated many times till its present scale. Covering an area of 41 hectares, its stone-and-wood main building has 13 stories, measuring 110 meters in height. The fine palace roofs are covered with gilded tiles of bronze. The Potala is composed of the Red Palace and the White Palace. The former is mainly for religious affairs, the latter for politics and daily life.

Norbulingka

Situated in the western suburbs of Lhasa city, Norbulingka (Treasure Garden) was built in the 1740s during the reign of the seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was renovated and enlarged and became the Dalai Lama's Summer Palace. Here, each year from April to September the Dalai Lama would handle political affairs and hold festival celebrations. Covering an area of 36,000 square meters about half of the park is covered with forests. Its main buildings are Golden Palace, Sutra Hall and the New Palace built in 1954.

Traditional Chinese Lunch At A Local Restaurant

Jokhang Monastery

Standing at the center of Lhasa city, the monastery was built in 647 by King Songtsan Gambo to commemorate Princess Wen Cheng's arrival in Tibet. Through several renovations it became a large building group, with an area of over 25, 000 square meters. The monastery has four stories; its roofs are covered with gilded tiles of bronze. It was built in the style of Tang Dynasty structures and adopted the characteristics of architecture from Nepal and India. In the center of the main hall, a gilded statue of young Sakyamuni brought to Tibet by Princess Wen Cheng from Chang'an (present Xi'an) is enshrined. In the side halls, statues of King Songtsan Gambo, Princess Wen Cheng and Nepalese Princess Chizun are also enshrined.

Sera Monastery

Sera, one of the three largest monasteries of Gelugpa, sits at the foothills of Tatipu. Sera, in Tibetan, means "Wild Rose Garden" since opulent wild rose woods once grew around it. A legend says that Tsong Khapa and his two disciples traveled in the area, spreading their religion. One day, they heard a horse whinnying underground when they were taking a walk in the rose woods. They dug up a statue of Hynagriva (a horse-headed demon-god) and Tsong Khapa began construction of a monastery to enshrine Hynagriva. However, the truth is that in 1414, Jamchen Chojey (or Sakya Yeshe), one of Tsong Khapa's disciples, visited Emperor Chengzu as Tsong Khapa's emissary. The Emperor Chengzu granted him a title of Dharma King of Great Mercy, sutras, and gave a set of sandalwood Arhats. In order to preserve them, Tsong Khapa instructed Jamchen Chojey to build a monastery to house the treasures. The Sera monastery was completed in 1419.

Bakhor Street

The center of the old Lhasa, Barkhor is a circular street, which is the oldest street in Lhasa and remains very traditional. It is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble and a place to which a visit must be paid. It was said that in the seventh century when Songtsen Gampo, the first Tibetan King (617 or ?-650) who unified Tibet, married Chinese Princess Wencheng and Nepal princess Tritsun. Later Princess Tritsun built Jokhang Temple to accommodate the Jowo Sakyamuni aged 12 brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng. Barkhor is the road which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries. Buddhist pilgrims walk or progress by body-lengths along the street clockwise every day into deep night. They comprise most of Lhasa's floating population. Careful visitors may find there are 4 columns, on which colorful scripture streamers are hung flying over the street. All pilgrims walk outside of them to show respect. The custom started in Tubo period (633-877). To the west of the north street of Barkhor, there is a juniper hearth, in front of which ceremony will be held annually to hail Maitreya (Buddha of the Future). Tibetans also pray before the hearth to expect fortune in the next year. A yamun, which used to be the office of Lhasa magistrate, stands nearby. A small lane northward nearby leads to a market, which has the longest history in Lhasa. There is a three-story temple, which was set up in the Tubo period, and its pantheon still maintain the Tubo style after many renovations. It was said that Tibetan characters were invented in the temple. Barkhor, the sacred pilgrim path, is also a marketplace where shaggy nomads, traders, robed monks and chanting pilgrims join together. Shops and stalls, clustering, sell printed scriptures, cloth prayer flags, other religious items, jewelry, Tibetan knives, ancient coins etc.

Traditional Chinese Lunch At A Local Restaurant

Zhebang Monastery