The Barkhor is probably the best part about Lhasa and one of the most interesting places to see in Tibet

 

The Barkhor is probably the best part about Lhasa and one of the most interesting places to see in Tibet. The Barkhor is a pilgrimage kora around Tibet's most holy temple, the Jokhang. The main circuit of the Barkhor is about 1km long, but there are many small alleys that come off of the main route. Everyday sees thousands of Tibetan pilgrims walking around the Barkhor in a clockwise direction. Lined with shops, the Barkhor is one of the best places to pick up Tibetan souvenirs. With knives, prayer wheels, Buddhist statues, jade jewelry and the latest music from India, there is something for everyone. Along with countless shops, there are also many restaurants serving authentic Tibetan food. While these places usually don't have English menus (or any menu for that matter), they are a great place to go to try some Tibetan cuisine.

 
In the past, it was a designated circumambulation circuit, "a saint road" in the eyes of Tibetans. Now it's also a shopping center, an old district with colorful Tibetan features. The streets of the Barkhor have recently been widened and a wide area, called Barkhor square, was created in front of Jokhang Temple. Tibetan houses line the streets, and the ground is paved with flagstones, preserving the ancient look. In the street, you can find souvenirs, and experience the mysterious "one step one bow" way to religion. Houses and small inns were built all around the street. All the houses along the street are stores. As time went on, shops and businesses set up in the Barkhor, and it slowly became a prosperous area. All kinds of fantastic commodities show us all aspects of the Tibetan life, such as prayer wheels, bronze Buddhist statues, prayer beads, joss sticks, carpets, knives, and Thangkas. Commodities from nearby countries such as India, Nepal and Burma can also be found there. Welcome to China for Canton fair 2014. HRC is pleasure to provide Guangzhou hotels booking, China Tour guide and Indochina tour packages for you.

For visitors, Barkhor Street is a magical place showing the original outlook of Lhasa. It was paved by hand-polished stone boards. Though it is not broad, it accommodates thousands of tourists every day. Varied shops stand on its both sides and thousands of floating stands are on every corner. Most of them offer the prayer wheels, long-sleeve 'chuba' (the Tibetan people's traditional clothes), Tibetan knives and some religious articles for sale. Furthermore, some shops sell 'Thangka' (the Tibetan scroll painting), which is a unique art of Tibet with the themes of religion, history, literature, science and customs. Surprisingly, there are some articles from India and Nepal in this street as well.