Best Places to Travel in Lhasa
Lhasa, the name means “Land of the Gods” in Tibetan, is famous as “the City of the Sun”. Besides the well-known attractions such as Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, we are going to introduce other very popular must-see places as well.
Located on the Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa, the Potala Palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama until 1959 and is today one of the most beautiful and iconic attractions in Tibet. Originally built by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century, the imposing Potala Palace is the symbol of the city. The structure is magnificent, especially when viewed from below. The square and park across the road are the perfect place to enjoy the palace from a distance, which is equally charming at night when it is illuminated. The palace is made up of the white and red palaces, plus additional structures inside. The palace as a whole has a thousand rooms with some relics, allowing you to appreciate Tibetan culture and heritage. The tomb of the 5th Dalai Lama is particularly impressive. The monks work and live in the palace, and because many areas are not open to the public, visitors must follow certain routes. No photography of any kind is allowed inside the palace.
Norbulingka Palace, located in the western suburb of Lhasa, is built in the 1740s by the 7th Dalai Lama. It is also called Norbulingka Palace, Norbulingka Park and Gemstone Garden. Norbulingka is reputed to be the Botanical Garden of the Plateau, as well as the Summer Palace of Lhasa, because it is a warm cultivation paradise for more than 100 rare species of rare plants from the Himalayas and around the world in its 3.6 million square meters of extension. At the same time, it is the garden with the most exquisite buildings in Tibet. You can admire numerous and valuable historical relics and artistic pieces from hundreds of years ago. Norbulingka is undoubtedly a pleasant attraction with rich Tibetan culture and the charm of a magnificent garden.
Sera Monastery is one of the three Great Monasteries of the Gelug University of Tibet, located 2 kilometers north of Lhasa and about 5 kilometers north of Jokhang. The other two monasteries are Ganden Monastery and Drepung Monastery. The origin of the name of Sera Monastery is attributed to the fact that the site where it was built is surrounded by wild roses. The most interesting thing is to watch the monks debating inside the shaded courtyard behind the main temple. Every day, hundreds of red-robed monks gather in small groups and practice their debating skills.
Drepung Monastery, located at the foot of Mount Gephel, 5 km from the western edge of Lhasa. It means rice harvesting monastery in Tibetan language. Drepung Monastery is the largest of all Tibetan monasteries. The other two are Ganden and Sera. It was founded in 1416 by Jamyang Chojey, a direct disciple of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Gelukpa School.
The above mentioned places are the best places to travel around Lhasa. It can't be lost.
