Barkhor Street

Barkhor Street, located in the old Lhasa area, is the famous specialization and commercial center in Lhasa which relatively intactly preserves the traditional outlook and way of living of the ancient city. Barkhor Street originally a circumanbulation that is singly around the Jokhang Temple, Tibetan call it “Holy Road”. Now it gradually expands into a vast old blocks around the Jokhang Temple, which is composed of Barkhor East Street, Barkhor West Street, Barkhor North Street and Barkhor South Street. The Barkhor Street is 1.5 kilometers long and 9 inches wide which shows as a circle without street head and end, whose both sides are old Tibet rooms and street center is a few Buddhist statues of a giant incense burner with fireworks filled day and night and giving out the scent of pine oil. Travelers here always cannot find the right direction as there are many turnoffs and 35 lanes there. No one traveling there won’t know the Barkhor Street.

Barkhor Street

Barkhor Street has maintained the original style and features of the ancient city of Lhasa. The street was paved by hand grinding stones and nearby keeps those old house buildings. There are many shops in both sides of the street, among which more than 120 handicrafts shops and 200 vending stalls.

With a history of more than 1000 years, the Barkhor Street sets religion, culture, tourism and business as a whole to be one of the most characteristic and charming historical and cultural street in China and even in the world. It has become a historical epitome of the development of Tibet historically.

Barkhor Street is ancient, but also bustling. Although now municipal construction has developed rapidly, and Lhasa witnesses rapid progress in urban area, people still need Potala Palace and Barkhor Street, especially when the sunset comes, tens of thousands of Tibetans flood the Barkhor Street to take part in the night activities there.