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Lhasa in Tibetan means "lands of God" and has been the center of politics, economy, culture and religion in the Tibet Autonomous Region since ancient times. It is located on the north bank of the Kyichu river, a tributary of the Yarlung Tsangpo River, at an altitude of 3650 meters above sea level. Lhasa has a history dating back over 1300 years and its many attractions are described below. Potala PalaceThe Potala, one of the most famous architectural works in the world, sits on top of the Red Hill in Lhasa. Constructed In the 7th century, after the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo's married Princess Wencheng of the Tang Court, the Palace was built to provide the Tibetan court with a place for worship and meditation. In the mid-17th century, it was extended by the 5th Dalai Lama to its present size, and became the Winter Palace of the Dalai Lamas. The construction took fifty years from commencing to completion. The Potala is divided into two sections, namely, the Red Palace and White Palace. The total height of the Potala is 117 meters spanning thirteen story's. The length from east to west is 400 meters and the breadth from south to north is 350 meters. The building is constructed of stone and timber with golden roofs. It is a majestic architectural masterpiece. Norbulingkha (The summer Palace of the Dalai Lama):The name Norbulinka means "Jeweled Garden," a fitting title for this 200 year old park, stretching over 360,000 sq. m. The 370 room summer palace of the Dalai Lama is located inside the park at Lhasa and was constructed in 1755. During the following years more and more structures were added like chapels, gardens, fountains and pools with the most important contribution by the 14th Dalai Lama. His palace is also the

Shigatse, or Xigazê, is the second biggest town situated in the South Central of the Tibet Autonomous Region. "Shigatse" in Tibetan means the "Estate that fulfills one's Wishes". It lies on the ancient caravan route between Lhasa and Kathmandu and is a one of the most important trade centers in Tibet, distributing goods (mainly agriculture and husbandry products) between Lhasa, Nepal, Western Tibet and China (Xinjiang) and Kashmir (North-West India). Shigatse is overlooking the confluence of the Nyangchu River and the Yarlung Tsangpo River which makes the the soil around Shigatse very fertile and productive. To the north-east of Shigatse, the Konkaling monastery is situated, but the most famous monastery is located in the south-west and is called the Tashilhunpo monastery, the traditional seat of the Panchen Lama, the second most important high priest in Tibetan Buddhism after the Dalai Lama. The monastery houses 3300 priests and the many houses and temples are surrounded by the Thanka wall. Between the monastery and the city is the Thom; a bustling 'free' market where one can buy local handicrafts embedded with coral and turquoise, Tibetan daggers, Chinese porcelain and yak butter. The market lies at the foot of the ruins of the Shigatse Fortress, a large 17th-century fort standing on a low hill to the north-west where a garrison of 1000 Tibetan soldiers is stationed. The Shalu monastery is situated 20 kilometers southeast of Shigatse and is a perfect stop on your way from Shigatse to Gyantse. Tashilhunpo Monastery:Tashilhunpo Monastery is the biggest Gelugpa Monastery in the Tsang region of Tibet. It is located in the town of Shigatse and was founded by Gedun Drup, a disciple of Tsongkapa, the founder of the Gelungpa Sect. Gedun Drup is recognized as the first Dalai Lama and he built the monastery in 1447 as

A small agricultural town famous for its wool carpets and the Palkor Choide Chorten, Gyantse lies between a Monastery and a fort in the Nyang-chu Valley on fertile grounds along an old trading route. Before 1959, traders coming from Kalimpong and Gangtok in India would enter Tibet through Yadong traveling on to Gyantse, en route to Lhasa. Palchor Choede Monastery and KUMBUM:NamoPalchor Choide Monastery is located west of Gyantse city and founded in 1418 jointly by Kedup Je of the Gelugpa Sect and Rabten Kunsang of the Sakyapa Sect. The Palchor Monastery is enclosed by mountains in the east, west and north and has a special influence over Tibet's Buddhism owing to its unification of three different sects, the Gelukpa, the Sakyapa and Bhuton Sects who were all worshiped in this Monastery. The famous Kumbum pagoda stands nine stories high and has 108 doors and 77 chapels. It contains clay sculptures and various murals. The pagoda is said to have 100,000 images, either sculpted or painted, this is the reason for its name Kumbum, literally meaning "100,000 Images". Chortens are receptacles of worship, similar to the stupas of India, with many sacred objects within: statues, books, frescoes and items of gold and silver. The Gyantse Chorten is a deluxe model, and is quite innovative in its architecture, it has about 70 interlocking chapels that you see as you spiral your way up the six floors to the golden plume at the top. Each chapel is richly, often grotesquely, decorated with thousands of frescoes, statues and artifacts and lined with Buddhist texts inscribed in Sanskrit. In aerial perspective, the chorten is supposedly shaped like a Mandala, the embodiment of the Lamaist universe. Pilgrims circumambulate this giant wedding-cake, the inner spiraling circuit of the Chorten is a meditational aid to enlightenment with

Tsetang is the jumping board for exploration of the Yarlung valley area which is the cradle of Tibetan civilization. This area has the oldest building in Tibet, Yumbu Lagang, the oldest monastery, Samye, and has the birthplace of the six original Tibetan clans, the Monkey Cave on Mount Zodang Gongpori. THE YARLUNG VALLEYThe Yarlung Valley which is 72 kilometers long is said to be the cradle of Tibetan Civilization. Here lies the birthplace of the six original clans and it is the home of the great Tibetan empire that reigned in the sevnth and eight centuries. The people living in the Valley have created their own unique folk culture and this Yarlung culture has been an important component of Tibetan Culture. Tsedang is seen as the jumping board of the Yarlung Valley. Tradduk Temple:The Tradduk Temple, located in Nedong, three miles from Tsedang up the Yarlung Valley is supposed to be the first Buddhist temple. It was established by King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century and belongs to the Gelugpa Sect (Order of Excellence). The main attraction of this temple is the Assembly Hall. The images enshrined here are all bronze and the corridors are covered with murals. The Tombs of the Tibetan Kings:The Tibetans didn't give their Kings a sky burial but choose interment in tombs instead. Experts differ in their explanations; some believe this was due to cultural influence of the Tang Dynasty in China, others consider this was a result of Buddhist influence. Both of these explanations have been determined by an archeological survey of Tibet, started in 1984, which has discovered over 1000 graves in 20 groups near Nedong. Since these graves belong to a Neolithic culture, which flourished over 3000 years ago, it appears that burial in the ground was a common practice long