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Home > Travel China > China Destinations > Lhasa
Lhasa
China, an East Asian country is one of the world’s oldest civilizations. It has a vast cultural history of more than five thousand years and an outstanding natural beauty. On the other hand, this country has remained a comparatively isolated and secluded one, and being a land of mystery, this country is not known to the western half of the world. However, China is rapidly developing and has grown in the phase of modernization, with an immense speed and is also welcoming the outer world to interact and do business with them.
Lhasa is the traditional capital of Tibet and the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of the people's republic of China. It is also the traditional seat of the Dalai Lama. Lhasa literally means place of the gods, although ancient Tibetan documents and inscriptions demonstrate that the place was first called Rasa, which means courtyard place or goat place. Its altitude is about 3,650 meters 12,000 feet, making it one of the highest cities in the world. The city is home to about 200,000 inhabitants.
Legend has it that the second Tibetan emperor Songtsen Gampo made Lhasa his capital. But contemporary documents The Old Tibetan Annals show that the empire was ruled from a moving capital. The city rose to prominence following the founding of three large Gelugpa monasteries by Je Tsongkhapa and his disciples in the 15th century. The three monasteries are Ganden, Sera, and Drepung monasteries.
Lhasa has many historic relics, including the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Sera Monastery, Zhefeng Temple, Drepung Monastery and Norbulingka. However, many important sites were damaged or destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.
Like some of its sister municipalities and towns, Lhasa is blessed with beautiful surroundings and a unique natural setting. The picturesque scenery, the majesty of nature, the slow pace of life, and the welcoming nature of its people all combine to make this region one of the most important tourist attractions in China.
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