Day 04b Gyantse

Gyantse (3,950m) was established in the 14th century. It developed into an important centre of the wool trade in Tibet, and a bustling caravan stop on the trade route from Lhasa to India. There is a huge fort ("dzong") at the southern end of the old town and a walled-in monastery-grounds at the north end, and a ramshackle marketplace with older buildings and alleyways between fort and monastery.

We arrived here in the afternoon and visited the monastery before proceeding to Shigatse 90km away.


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1. The Kumbum Chorten (left) and Palkor Choide Lamasery (right). The monastery is refered by the Chinese as Baiju Temple and was built in the 14th century. The Kumbun means 'having 100,000 images', and is quite innovative in its architecture-there is nothing like it elsewhere in Tibet. It has 70 small interlocking chapels that you visit as you spiral your way to the golden plume at the top. Each chapel contains fine statuary, and fine murals painted in the 15th century. In aerial perspective, the chorten is shaped like a mandala, the embodiment of the Lamaist universe.


2. Palko Choide Lamasery


3. Prayer Wheels


4. Entrance to the Lamasery


5. The Kumbum


6. Gyantse Fort, as viewed from the monastery. The fort's foundation are 14th century, while the walls are probably constructed later.


7. Entrance to a prayer hall


8. Front view of the Gyantse Fort