Another visit to the Jokhang area and the Kora around the Jokhang temple (=Barkhor Kora) in Lhasa. The Barkhor Kora (circling the ancient Jokhang Temple) is the most famous pilgrim circuit in Lhasa. Tibetans consider the Jokhang as the most sacred and most important temple of Tibet.     Please check the following link for some photos of the Barkhor Area in the early 1990’s.  

The Jokhang Temple and the square in front of the temple. The Jokhang temple (or Zuglagkang) is located in the center of the old town of Lhasa in Tibet. Tibetans consider the Zuglagkang as the most sacred and most important temple of Tibet. The Jokhang temple was founded during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo and the oldest part of the temple was built in 652, which makes it the oldest Buddhist temple of the country.   Since the year 2000 the Jokhang is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

(Thousand) Buddha Rock Carvings in Lhasa, Tibet. The place is called Sangye Dhongku in Tibetan. This collection of painted rock carvings is located south from Potala Palace, on the east side of the Chakpori hill. The buddha paintings are  centered around a huge image of the Buddha of Longevity (Tsépakmé in Tibetan). The Buddha Rock Carvings are located along the long kora or lingkor, the large pilgrimage route around Potala Palace. The large kora starts near the Lhasa River. It then turns around the Chak Pori hill, the large hill across from the Potala Palace with antenna tower on it. Just follow the Tibetans and you’ll find the Sangye Dhongku.

Tibetans working in a small carpet factory near Drepung Monastery in Lhasa, Tibet

Prayer wheels and debating monks at Sera Monastery in the northern part of Lhasa, capital of Tibet. Beautiful golden colored prayer wheels with the text “Om mani padme hum”.   Debating monks in the garden of Sera Monastery:

Lhasa and the Potala Palace as seen from the Jokhang Temple in the old town of Lhasa The Potala Palace is visible just slightly to the right of the center of the photo. It is located on a hill outside the old town. Jokhang Temple Square  

Potala Palace in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. The Potala Palace in Lhasa used to be the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas. Unfortunately this ended when the fourteenth Dalai Lama (the current one) fled to India in 1959. The impressive building is located on a hilltop near the old town of Lhasa.

Flying over the Himalayas from Shangri-La to Lhasa in Tibet. The beginning of a very special part of our trip through Asia. During our flight to Lhasa we had spectacular views over the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Plane at Lhasa Airport at an elevation of 3570 meters. Since we spend several days in Shangrila we didn’t experience difficulties with this altitude. People coming from Kathmandu or other cities may have trouble breathing.