Lhasa Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is called City of Sun, because of its sufficient sunshine at an altitude of 3,607 meters.

Lhasa. A young monk with the Potala Palace in the background. Credit: Matjaz Vrecko

The Potala Palace perches on a lofty cliff and is an architectural wonder. It is 13 floors high, with 1,000 rooms, 10,000 chapels and tombs of eight Dalai Lamas. It was built by Songsten Gampo and before the Chinese invasion of Tibet was the center of the Tibetan government and the official winter residence of the Dalai Lama.

The Jokhang Temple is the most important Buddhist temple in Tibet. It lies in the heart of Lhasa. It was built some 1300 years ago in celebration of the marriage of the Tang princess Wen Cheng and King Songtsen Gampo. It houses a golden statue of the Buddha Sukyiamuni brought by the princess. The Great Prayer Festival is held annually here. The temples are full of worshippers.

Inside Sera Monastery Credit: Matjaz Vrecko

The Sera Monastery was built in 1419. It is one of the four major monasteries in Tibet.

Shigatse
Shigatse is a city 225 km west of Lhasa. It has the Tashilhunpo Monastery and is an important religious city. It was founded in 1447 and was the home of the Panchen Lamas, the reincarnations of the Buddha of Eternal Light. The tenth Panchen Lama died here in 1989.