Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is a mesmerizing city to visit and it is situated in a beautiful and mountainous environment in the Himalayas. It is noted for its beautiful landscapes, centuries-old history, unique culture, and local customs, as well as its religious flavor and many places of historical interest. Read on this post to explore the best tourist attractions in Lhasa.
Contents
Best Tourist Attractions in Lhasa
1. Norbulingka
This is one of the best tourist attractions in Lhasa. Lying in the western rural areas of Lhasa, Norbulingka is 2 km toward the east of the Potala Palace. In 1988, the State Council approved it to end up a national vital social relic security unit. On Dec. 14, 2001, UNESCO included Norbulingka into the expansion subjects of the Potala Palace which is enrolled as a World Cultural Heritage site. In 2001, the State Tourism Administration evaluated Norbulingka as 4A on the national tourism locale level.
Norbulingka signifies “Treasure Garden” in the Tibetan dialect. It was first implicit in the mid-eighteenth century and expected today’s scale through numerous extensions. Norbulingka has 3 sections: the patio before the royal residence, the castle, and woodland. With more than 400 arrangements of rooms, the greenhouse takes up 3.6 square kilometers, among which 3.4 square km are green knolls or woods.
2. Potala Palace
Potala Palace, regarded as a landmark and the symbol of Tibet, is a great giant palace consisting of many houses, towers, chapels, etc. Because of its spectacular architectural style, it is honored as one of the most beautiful architectural buildings in the world. As the historic ensemble of Lhasa, Potala Palace, together with the exceptional Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka is the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The main buildings of Potala Palace are situated on the Red Hill by the side of the Lhasa River. It is not only a splendid palace but also a treasure house where you can see precious arts and learn Tibetan culture and history.
3. Sera Monastery
At the foot of Pubuchok Mountain, the Sera Monastery is one of the Great Three monasteries of Lhasa. It was named Sera, which means ‘wild rose,’ after the rose-covered hillside it was built on. Today, with its tree-lined, cobblestone walkways, it’s still one of the most beautiful monasteries in Tibet.
Founded in 1419, the Sera Monastery is dedicated to the Yellow Hat Order of Tibetan Buddhism. During its prime, it had five colleges and 5,000 monks. Today it’s much smaller; one of the few monasteries to escape complete destruction during the Cultural Revolution, it has three surviving colleges.
Highlights include the Coqen Hall (the largest hall), Sera Je College (the largest Buddhist college), and the ancient statue of Sakya Yeshe. Take your time discovering 500-year-old historic relics, from Buddhist texts and gold-and-brass statues to colorful stone paintings and silverware.
4. Namtso Lake
Namtso Lake, located in the northwest of Lhasa is the highest saltwater lake in the world with an altitude of 4718 meters. As the second-largest saltwater lake in China (next to Qinghai Lake), it covers an area of 1,920 square kilometers, with 70 kilometers in length from east to west and 30 kilometers in width from south to north. In Tibetan, Namtso means Heavenly Lake, so it is also considered as one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, together with Yamdrok Lake and Lake Manasarovar. Consisting of over 1500 lakes and five big islands, which used to be the spiritual retreat, Namtso is the paradise of nature and a wonderful place for photo taking, especially in the summertime. The Tashi Peninsula, the biggest island here stretches long and wreathed Namtso into its center, providing tourists a land for spiritual refreshment and hiking around.
5. Yangbajing Hot Springs
Yangbajain is a town 87 kilometers northwest of Lhasa City. It is a rich green valley encompassed by the Nomads with yaks and sheep along the slope. The town is well known for its Yangbajain Hot Springs which are geothermic and have been created and used to deliver a large portion of the power for Lhasa and ranges adjacent. The field of Yangbajing Hot Springs field has a height of around 4500 meters which makes it the most noteworthy elevation of its kind in China.
The water temperature is around 30 to 84 degrees centigrade. The Yangbajing Geothermal Power Station is situated on the edge of the Yangbajing Hot Springs field. As the principal geothermal force station, it has a territory of around 30 square kilometers.
6. Jokhang Temple
Jokhang signifies the ‘Place of Buddha’. Situated in the focal point of old Lhasa city, Jokhang Monastery is the prime seat of the Gelugpa (Yellow) Branch of Tibetan Buddhism. It was initially implicit in 647 AD. Jokhang Temple is the profound focal point of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan Buddhist pioneers. It is said the site was picked actually by the wife of King Songtsan Gampo, the Tang Princess Wen Cheng.
The princess saw Wutang, a lake in Lhasa, to be a “fiend’s heart”, a wellspring of abhorrence, and had it filled in and the sanctuary based on the site to balance insidious strengths.
In conclusion, these are some of the best tourist attractions in Lhasa that you should visit during your trip.
