# Leaning on Heritage and Tradition in Lhasa

- Link: https://leoviotti.com/blog/leaning-on-heritage-and-tradition-in-lhasa/
- Published: 2016-08-26T20:18:30+08:00
- Author: LeoViotti

[⌊Lhasa (1)⌉⌊Lhasa (1)⌉[ (1)

For all we know, China is a super nation. With all walks of life touched by the 
country and its people, it’s never a surprise that many travelers want to visit 
the country at least once in their lives. Now that many are looking at China for
their next travel destination, the country is abuzz with developments here and there,
making everything modern even before the tourist influx sets in.

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Amid all of this modernization lies a town called Lhasa, which strongly clings to
its origins and is still capitalizing on them. Get acquainted with white-washed 
homes, the scent of incense and the quiet living they portray. Lhasa is truly a 
spot worthy of your attention.

**Location**

Perched within the comforts of the Tibetan Plateau, Lhasa is known as one of the
highest points of China. Lhasa is surrounded by mountain ranges that tower at 18,000
feet, while the town’s elevation is at 11,800 feet.

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At the southern part of the city, the flowing Kyi Chu River can be found. Currently,
Lhasa is home to almost 224,000 residents and spans a total land area of 203 square
miles.

**Climate**

Since Lhasa is elevated more than the rest of the country, it is classified to have
a semi-arid climate by the Koppen Climate Classification. The bordering mountain
ranges are quite beneficial to the city itself as they block much of the frigidity
from winter and temperatures are kept at acceptable levels.

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In an annual scale, Lhasa has 3,000 sunshine hours, which is slightly above average.
In January, temperatures are expected to drop to -1.6-degrees Celsius, while June
is considered the warmest at a daily average of 16-degrees Celsius.

**Transportation**

After the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway in 2006, Lhasa fully maximized this
opportunity to provide quality transportation for both locals and tourists. Since
Lhasa is separated from the rest of the country, train trips are limited to five
per day, which connects the city to others such as Xining, Shanghai, Chongqing and
Chengdu.

Some railway projects are set for completion by 2020, which will then bring Lhasa
closer to cities such as Kathmandu, Sikkim, New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri.

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The only available airport lies to the south of the city, which is the Lhasa Gonggar
Airport. Tibet Airlines is the main carrier at this airport, which caters to both
local and regional flights to Shigatse, Qamdo, Nyingchi Prefecture and Kathmandu
on a daily basis.

**What to See**

**Potala Palace**

One of the Lhasa’s most cardinal landmarks is the Potala Palace. An architectural
wonder of its own, this structure was once the seat of the Tibetan government back
in the old days and still manages to retain its magnificence throughout the years.

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Be delighted to know that this huge edifice is home to almost a thousand rooms and
thirteen levels of awesomeness. One thing that you need to be prepared for is to
plan your visit in advance as scheduling and security are very tight.

**Barkhor Circuit**

Lhasa’s close connection to religion and praise is manifested when you walk through
the so-called Barkhor Circuit. Here, you’ll be faced with rows upon rows of pilgrimage
sites which definitely show their rich culture and strong heritage.

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Temples and other places of worship can be found here such as the small chapel of
Mani Lhakhang, the Jampa Lhakhang, Miwang Jimpa, Zhambdala Lhakhang, the old yet
beautiful Muru Nyingba Monastery and so much more.

**Chagpo Ri Rock Carvings**

Throughout the millennium, the Chagpo Ri Rock Carvings have been witness to how 
Lhasa locals and visitors commemorate art and its wondrous implications.

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With over 5,000 rock carving painted by so many people, it is quite a collection
of admirable talent and passion.

_See More:_

_Lhasa Travel Guide: Location, History, Map … – Travel China Guide_
 [_ https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/tibet/lhasa/_](https://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/tibet/lhasa/)

_Lhasa 2016: Best of Lhasa, China Tourism – TripAdvisor_
 [_ https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph_](https://www.tripadvisor.com.ph/LangRedirect?auto=3&origin=en_US&pool=C&returnTo=%2FTourism-g294223-Lhasa_Tibet-Vacations.html&m=12082)

_Images:_

_(1) https://images.travelpod.com_
 _ (2) https://butworldenoughandtime.files.wordpress.
com_ _ (3) http://www.tibetdiscovery.com_ _ (4) http://tibettour.travel_ _ (5) http://
www.tntmagazine.com_ _ (6) https://upload.wikimedia.org_ _ (7) https://upload.wikimedia.
org_ _ (8) http://www.mountainsoftravelphotos.com_

_Paul Intalan_