Barkhor Street

Barkhor is an area of narrow streets and a public square. The street is a good place for visitors wanting to learn about Tibetan culture, economy, religion, and arts... The square is a transportation center.

In 647, Songtsen Gampo, the first Tibetan King, built the Jokhang Temple. It attracted thousands of Buddhists due to its magnificence. Then the origin of Barkhor street appeared. Today you can see some pilgrims walking or progressing body-lengths by body-lengths along the street. Most of them are teenagers and have experienced thousands of miles' walking to reach this sacred place, which express their piety for the holiness of religion.

Shopping

The street is a marketplace for visitors, with many small shops, cheap restaurants on both sides of the street. The shops sell all kinds of hand-made souvenirs, such as: Buddhist Thangkas, prayer flags, statues, prayer wheels, butter lamps, incense, beads and more. A wide selection of Tibetan housewares, such as: cushions aprons, leather bags, handmade quilts and carpets, knives, hats, and local style dishware.

Furthermore, some shops sell "Thangka" ( the Tibetan scroll painting ), which is an unique art with the themes of religion, history, literature, science and customs. There are also some articles from India and Nepal in the street as well. To sum up, whether your taste on extraordinary or souvenir, Barkhor market has something of Tibetan culture for every shopper's preference.

Travel Tips

1. According to Tibetan traditions and faith, you should walk clockwise in Barkhor Street.
2. Many goods sold there. You should bargain whenever you want to buy things, because the same kind of good would be sold at different price in the different shops.
3. Be carefully when the run goes down and don't lose your way in the labyrinth of lanes.
4. Tibetan knives can not be consigned by flight. Please ask the local retailer how to mail it before you purchase.
5. According to Tibetan traditions, the first and the last buyer would bring good luck to vendors, So they would always give favorable discount to the buyer.