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Lhasa
 Lhasa,
or the "ground of the gods', has been the
capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region since
the 7th century when Sron-btsan Gam-po built his
palace where the Potala now stands and attempted
to unify the various clans in the area. This is
the first stop for most visitors to Tibet and,
although the journey here is not as exciting as
it once was, a tip here is still an essential
part of any visit to Tibet. Lhasa is famous for
being one of the highest cities in the world,
towering 3,600 meters above the banks of the Lhasa
River, but what really knocks you out here is
the full scale impact on your senses of the breathtaking
beauty, unique landscape and the holy atmosphere
of this religious center.
Most of the historical sights here
date back to the 1600s when the magnificent Potala
Palace was built. The Potala dominates the skyline
but Jokhang is considered the spiritual center
of the city and there are numerous other small
active temples dotted about. Pilgrims still flock
to Lhasa to see and experience the remaining enclaves
of tradition. Despite the important religious
and historical legacy of the city, Lhasa has changed
a lot in the past 40 years than ever before. Although
pilgrims still visit here, they are now joined
and compete for space with western tourists and
numerous Chinese.
The "renovating" and
"modernizing" influence is fast changing
the unique flavor that makes Tibet and Lhasa so
special. Before the Han people moved in to the
city in 1951, only about 20,000 people inhabited
this small area. Today, there are some 160,000
inhabitants here, including many businessmen,
here to utilize the modernization and development
of Lhasa. In some aspects this is changing the
face of Lhasa for the worse. For the adventurous
travelers, however, this remains a city of intrigue
and there is more than enough to hold you here
for a few days. Modernization too, means that
facilities are better in the capital city than
they are elsewhere in the province. 80% of the
population of Tibet lives in the countryside.
Outside Lhasa is where the more authentic and
traditional aspects of the region can be enjoyed
and experienced.
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