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Jokhang Temple is the most scared and oldest temple in Tibet, built in the 7th century particularly for the enshrinement of the Sakyamuni image brought by Princess Wencheng, which is believed to be made in the lifetime of Sakyamuni when he aged 12.
The Jokhang Temple is a four-storey timber complex with a golden top. It was built in the style of Tang dynasty structures and adopted the characteristics of Nepalese and Indian architecture. Through several renovations it expanded into quite a large group of buildings and now covers an area of over 25,000 sq meters.
It is the spiritual center of Lhasa and stands in the heart of the old city. The medieval push and shove of crowds, the street performers, the stalls hawking everything from prayer flags to jewel-encrusted yak skulls, and the devout tapping their foreheads to the ground at every step is an exotic brew that few newcomers can resist. Pilgrims are always seen at the main entrance prostrating and paying homage to the Sakyamuni’s image and asking for blessings from it.
In 2000, Jokhang Temple was put on the List of World Heritage of the UNESCO.
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