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Top Attractions in Lhasa

Potala Palace

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan uprising. It is now a museum and World Heritage Site. The palace is named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara. The 5th Dalai Lama started its construction in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel, pointed out that the site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa. It may overlay the remains of an earlier fortress called the White or Red Palace, on the site built by Songtsän Gampo in 637. The building measures 400 metres east-west and 350 metres north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 m. thick, and 5 m. thick at the base, and with copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes. Thirteen stories of buildings—containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and about 200,000 statues—soar 117 metres on top of Marpo Ri, the "Red Hill", rising more than 300 m in total above the valley floor. Tradition has it that the three main hills of Lhasa represent the "Three Protectors of Tibet". Chokpori, just to the south of the Potala, is the soul-mountain of Vajrapani, Pongwari that of Manjusri, and Marpori, the hill on which the Potala stands, represents Avalokiteśvara.

Norbulingka

Norbulingka is a palace and surrounding park in Lhasa, Tibet, China, built from 1755. It served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lamas 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. Norbulingka Palace is situated in the west side of Lhasa, a short distance to the southwest of Potala Palace. Norbulingka covers an area of around 36 hectares and considered to be the largest man made garden in Tibet. Norbulingka park is considered the premier park of all such horticultural parks in similar ethnic settings in Tibet. During the summer and autumn months, the parks in Tibet, including the Norbulinga, become hubs of entertainment with dancing, singing, music and festivities. The park is where the annual Sho Dun or Yoghurt Festival is held. The Norbulingka palace has been mostly identified with the 13th and the 14th Dalai Lamas who commissioned most of the structures seen here now. During the invasion of Tibet in 1950, a number of buildings were damaged, but were rebuilt beginning in 2003, when the Chinese government initiated renovation works here to restore some of the damaged structures, and also the greenery, the flower gardens and the lakes.

Jokhang

The Jokhang, also called the Qokang Monastery, Jokang, Jokhang Temple, Jokhang Monastery or Zuglagkang, is located on Barkhor Square in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. For most Tibetans it is the most sacred and important temple in Tibet. It is in some regards pan-sectarian, but is controlled by the Gelug school. The temples architectural style is a mixture of Indian vihara design, Chinese Tang Dynasty design, and Nepalese design. It was founded during the reign of king Songtsän Gampo. According to tradition, the temple was built for the two brides of the king, Princess Wencheng of the Chinese Tang dynasty and Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal. Both wives are said to have brought important Buddhist statues and images from China and Nepal to Tibet as part of their dowries, and they were housed here. Many Nepalese artists worked to construct this temple. During the Bon period of Tibet the temple was, called the Zuglagkang . The term zuglag refers to the sciences such as geomancy, astrology, and divination which formed part of the pre-Buddhist shamanistic religion now referred to as Bon. It is more commonly known today as the Jokhang, which means the House of the Buddha. Along with the Potala Palace, it is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Lhasa. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace," and a spiritual centre of Lhasa.

Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet

The Monument to the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet stands in the southern part of the Potala square in Lhasa, just outside the protective zone and buffer zone of the world heritage site. It celebrates what the Peoples Republic of China calls the "Peaceful Liberation of Tibet" by the Peoples Liberation Army,. The US$1.7 million, 37-meter-high spire-like concrete structure was designed by Professor Qikang of the South-East University of China. It is shaped as an abstract Mount Quomolangma . The monument bears its own name engraved in the calligraphy of former general secretary and president Jiang Zemin, while an inscription refers to the expelling of "imperialist" forces from Tibet in 1951 and reports on the socio-economic development achieved since then. The foundation stone was laid on July 18, 2001 by Hu Jintao, the countrys vice-president at the time The monument was unveiled on May 22, 2002 When apprized of the plans to build the memorial, the Tibetan government in exile claimed that "the monument would serve as a daily reminder of the humiliation of the Tibetan people." For Kate Saunders, spokeswoman for International Campaign for Tibet, the construction in this sensitive spot is a political message to Tibetans about Chinese rule over the region.

Yangpachen Monastery

Yangpachen Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yangpachen (Tibetan: yangs pa can; Thub btsan yangs pa can), in the Lhasa Prefecture of Tibet. It is historically the seat of the Shamarpas of Karma Kagyü. It is about 85 km southeast of Lhasa "on the northern side of the Lhorong Chu valley above the Lhasa-Shigatse highway." It was founded around 1504 by the 4th Shamarpa who on finding the site proclaimed, "There shall be a monastery built on the left side of the Yangpachen as the support for Kagyu teachings and symbol of everlasting victory". Yangpachen Gompa was founded by Murab Jampa Tujepel in 1490 under the auspices of the fourth Sharmapa and financed by the Prince of Rinpung. It was the residence of the Sharmapas for only 300 years.... When the Gorkhalis under Pritvi Narayan Shah, king of the newly unified Kingdom of Nepal, invaded Tibet in 1792 to be defeated by a Chinese army, the tenth Sharmapa was accused of traitorous support of the Nepalis. A modern Tibetologist proved this interpretation of history to be wrong and showed that the Shamarpa mediated in this conflict. (In 1963, following a request from the 16th Karmapa, the Tibetan Government in Exile lifted the ban.) "Yangpachen was confiscated by the Gelukpas, the Sharmapa's hat was buried and recognition of future incarnations was prohibited. In Nepal the present thirteenth Sharmapa has resumed his full status amongst the Karma Kagyupas."The monastery was attacked around 1966 during the Cultural Revolution by the Chinese forces and totally destroyed, but is now being rebuilt. "The principal lhakang contains some new images; the Pelkor Gomkang contains an original image of Chakdrukpa (Mahakala) that resisted attempts to destroy it; but the image of Chakdrukpa in the Sinon Gomkang has vanished, along with the glory of Yangpachen."The associated Dorje Ling (rDo rje gling) Ani Gompa or nunnery is about a day's walk from Yangpachen Monastery and two days' walk north of Tsurphu. It is at the bottom of the eastern face of a long ridge with magnificent views of the high Nyenchen Tanglha range to the north. By 1986 the lhakang and domestic quarters had been rebuilt after the depredations of the Cultural Revolution, and about 30 anis (nuns) were again in residence.
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