Lhasa’s Barkhor: A Thousand-Metre Pilgrimage Route Carrying Thousands of Years of History

Dragon Media News Desk

Barkhor is one of the most prominent historical and cultural landmarks associated with Lhasa. Encircling the Jokhang Temple, this pilgrimage route serves as a centre of religious devotion, commercial activity, traditional settlement and multi-ethnic cultural coexistence.

Barkhor has a circumference of about 1,000 metres. Spread along an irregular circular route, the area contains more than 400 shops of various sizes, five religious sites and 25 residential buildings of different forms and dimensions.

The old city area of Barkhor currently preserves 56 historic courtyard residences. Among them, eight are designated as national-level cultural heritage protection sites, while 10 are associated with national-level intangible cultural heritage.

More than 20 ethnic communities, including Tibetans, Han, Hui and Monpa, live in the area. Their long-standing coexistence has helped shape Barkhor not only as a religious and commercial centre, but also as an important space for multi-ethnic cultural interaction.

Traditional architecture, religious customs, commercial activities, handicrafts and local ways of life together represent the distinctive cultural identity of Lhasa’s old city.

Surrounding the Jokhang Temple, Barkhor is also an important pilgrimage circuit in Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Even today, the continuous movement of pilgrims, local residents and visitors keeps the area alive as a vibrant cultural heritage site.