Shigatse,
also Xigatse, means "fertile
land" and stands at the
junction of the Yarlong
Tsangpo and Nyangchu River.
It used to be the capital of
Tsang and now is the capital
of Shigatse prefecture. The
600 year old city is the
traditional seat of the
Panchen Lama, who is one of
the two prestigious
spiritual leaders in Tibet
and the abbot of the
Tashilhunpo Monastery. About
300 km from Lhasa, it is an
important stop between Lhasa
and west Tibet where
pilgrims and tourists often
wander. Shigatse has a
population of over 80,000,
of which 97% are Tibetan. It
is the second largest city
within Tibet has undergone
large scale development.
Most tourist facilities
stand along Jiefang Dong Lu,
Beijing Bei Lu, Zhufeng Lu
and Shandong Lu. West of the
market and below the Dzong
is the old Tibetan quarter
where many people like to
visit.
Shigatse, the second biggest
city in Tibet is situated at
the altitude of 12,600 ft.
It is the famous city for
its great Tashilhunpo
Monastery - the seat of the
Panchen Lama, who is
regarded as the
reincarnation of the Buddha
of Endless Enlightenment.
Items of interest inside
this monastery built in 1447
by the First Dalai Lama are:
the relics of Sakyamuni, the
Hall of Maitreya, and a
incredible collection of
thanks, frescoes and
statues. There is also a
dynamic 'free' market where
one can buy local handicraft
embedded with coral and
turquoise, Tibetan Daggers,
Chinese pottery and yak
butter. Since it is the
second biggest city of
Tibet, it is the center for
transportation and
distribution of agriculture
and other products. |
