| |
The Potala Palace
|
|
|
| The Potala Palace is a landmark of Lhasa and Lama Buddism. It is a 13 storey and 1000 rooms' palace and once winter residence of the Dalai Lama. The construction of the present structure began during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645 and took more than 50 years to complete.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
The Jokhang Temple
|
|
|
| The Jokhang Temple is the spiritual centre of Tibet - a destination for millions of Tibetan pilgrims. The oldest part of the temple dates back to the 7th century AD - being one of the two temples built by King Songsten Gampo to house the statues of the Buddha that his two foreign wives brought to Tibet from China and Nepal.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
|
|
|
| The highest point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the Tanggula Mountain Pass, which is at an altitude more than 5,000 meters above sea level. At this point passengers may experience slight high-altitude-reaction symptoms, such as headaches, but they soon pass as the train heads downward.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
The Sera Monastery
|
|
|
| The Sera Monastery lies on the northern edge of Lhasa at the base of Tatipu Hill. 'Sera' means 'merciful hail' denoting its rivalry with the 'Rice Heap' (Drepong) since hail destroys rice. Sera was smaller than Drepong with about 7,000 monks but was very rich and comparable in power.
|
|
|
|
|