Shigatse
Shigatse City is located in the southwestern part of Tibet and has an average altitude of more than 4,000 m. With its ancient culture, majestic temple buildings, magnificent natural landscapes, and superior geographical location, Shigatse has become one of the most attractive tourist resorts in Tibet.
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Tashilunpo Monastery is the largest monastery in Shigatse City, located at the foot of Mount Nesiri. In 1447, it was built by Gendun, a disciple of Tsongkhapa. After the Fourth Panchen Lama, Sang Kyi Gian praised and expanded it, and it was the place where Panchen was living after the Fourth.
The Tashilunpo Monastery covers an area of 150,000 square meters and is surrounded by palace walls. There are 57 Scripture Halls and 3,600 houses in the monastery. The most magnificent buildings are the Great Maitreya Hall and the Panchen Lama Tower.
If you like, you can take a walk on the path surrounding the monastery by pilgrims and then continue to visit the local Shigatse market.
Shalu Monastery
The Shalu Monastery, about 20 kilometers away from Shigatse, although little known to tourists, is the ancestral monastery of the Shalu Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, and was built in 1087 AD. The Shalu Monastery, known for its combination of Tibetan and Chinese architecture, contains a large number of historical relics, such as murals, Buddha statues, scriptures, and Tangkas.
Sakya Monastery
The Sakya Monastery under the Benbo Mountain of Sakya County is the main temple of the Sakya Sect of Tibetan Buddhism. “Sakya” is a Tibetan transliteration, meaning gray earth, and gets the name from a gray-white rock on the mountainside of Benbo. The Sakya Monastery was built in 1073 AD, and the architecture is purely Mongolian. The Sakya Monastery uses red, white, and cyan to paint the walls, so the Sakya Sect is also commonly known as the “flower religion.” In addition to Buddhist relics, porcelain, and other cultural relics, there are more than 3,000 exquisite murals in the Sakya Monastery and the theme is widely related to religion, history, culture, and social life.
Other Tibet’s Attractions
Trips and Tours Ideas in Tibet
Yunnan and Tibet Tour
17 days | Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Lhasa, and Shigatse
A travel plan includes the most stunning places of northern Yunnan and the religious and cultural highlights of mysterious Tibet.
Yunnan and Tibet Combined Tour
19 days | Kunming, Dali,Lijiang, Shangri-La, Lhasa, and Shigatse | Prices start from 1,833 $
A travel plan includes the famous historical places of northern Yunnan and the religious and cultural highlights of central Tibet.
