|
Potala Palace
The dominant landmark of Lhasa,
117 mt./384 ft. above the city, was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. An
immense building built in 17th century, 13 stories high with walls 3 metres/10
feet thick, contains over 1000 rooms, 10000 shrines and over 200000 statues and
tombs of the former Heads of state. The entire building made of stone and wood,
covers an area of 130000 square meters. The Potala is full of elaborate art work
and frescos that tell many interesting stories. |
|
|
Drepung Monastery
This Monastery soon grew into the largest of all
Gelukpa Monasteries, housing more than 10000 monks. It could well claim to have
been the largest monastery the world has known. It soon became a major centre
of Gelukpa religious power, as evidenced by the fact that the second, third and
Fourth Dalai Lamas lived and were entombed here. The Fifth Dalai Lama ruled from
here until the Potala Palace was finished. Of particular interest is the medieval
monk's kitchen with its great cauldrons of steaming barley "tsampa"
sitting on top of huge earthen stoves and tented by saffron-robed monks wielding
massive ladles.
Jokhang Temple & Barkhor Bazar
The most sacred
and foremost temple in Tibet, built in the 7th century, it houses the most prized
Buddhist relic a 1300 years old Sakyamuni Buddha statue. The main section of the
temple is topped with golden rove found nowhere else except in Tibet. The temple
is encircled by Barkhor Bazar with its many shops selling all manner of goods
from trinkets to tantric ritual objects.
Tsedang
Founded in 200
B.C. Tsedang is located in the fertile Yarlung Valley, the cradle of Tibetan civilisation.
Places of interest here are Tradruk Temple, Yambulakhang, the Tombs of The Tibetan
Kings etc. The journey to Samye Monastery, the oldest Monastery in Tibet, begins
on boats that cross Brahmaputra River.
Gyantse
It was an important
town on the trade route to India and Nepal. Tour highlights are Palcho Monastery,
Kumbum Stupa housing 100,000 Buddha and other statues and the towering remnants
of Gyantse fort, attacked by the British Expeditionary forces of Col. Francis
Younghusband early In the 20th century.
Shigatse
It is the second
biggest city in Tibet. Tashilimpo Monastery is the main attraction here. The complex
of temples and tombs houses the bodies of a succession of Panchan Lamas and the
15th Dalai Lama. The main temple houses a 26 meter / 85 feet tall statue of Maitreya
Buddha. Nearby on the way to Gyantse is the Shalu Monastery built in 11th century.
The main features interesting wall frescoes that have been completed by Kashmir
painters and Newar painters from Nepal. |
One
of the most fascinating destinations in the world, this ancient land has remained
secluded in its mysteries for centuries. Only since early 1980s did this ' forbidden
land' open its fantastic vistas of diverse topography, culture and people to the
outside world. Known as the roof of the world, this mystical kingdom of fantasy
in the heart of Asia has captured man's imagination as no other land has. 