The Barkhor Street

The Barkhor Street lies in the heart of Lhasa and circles the Jokhang Temple. It means ??a pilgrim's inner circuit??, and is the earliest street of old city.

It dates back to the foundation of the Jokhang Palace and is an essential pilgrim route. Houses and small inns were built all around the street. As time went on, shops and businesses also take their positions in the Barkhor Street, and it slowly became a prosperous area.

The traditional lifestyle and appearance of Lhasa's Old City district are well preserved in Barkhor Street:the stone houses, and the man-laid stone roads. Barkhor Street is the commercial center in Tibet. It is a "must" for souvenir-hunting tourists. Here vistors can get everthing Tibetans could hope for, such as the prayerwheels, the boots and hats, robes and bags. Commodities made in India and Nepal can also be found here.

There are many art galleries and stores for arts and crafts, which specialize in Thangka. The Thangka are paintings of Buddha, brightly colored and vividly depicted.

Many people call the Barkhor "the window of Tibet" as it is a typical reflection of Tibetan life. It is a magical place, full of the mystery and wonder that is associated with Tibet.