Attraction : The monastery is a place that visitors cannot miss. The monastery lies 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Shigatse. Sakya, meaning "Grey Soil" in Tibetan since the soil around is grey, is the center monastery of Sakyapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. Its wall was painted with red, white and grey strips, which represent Manjushri, Avalokiteshvara and Vajrapani respectively.

Attraction : Tashilhunpo lies 2 kilometer (1.2 miles) west of Shigatse city. The monastery is a very influential monastery in Tibet. It was founded in 1477 by Gendun Drubpa, the first Dalai Lama and a most outstanding disciple of Tsong Khapa. In 1600, the Fourth Panchen Lama started a large-scale expansion and his successors carried on. The monastery now has a building space of 300

Attraction : Lying 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of Shigatse, the monastery was founded in 1040 by Chetsun Sherab Jungnay. Shalu, meaning New Bud in Tibetan, was named after a story. His teacher suggested him to built a monastery where his arrow hit. The flying arrow finally hit a new bud. In 1320, Buton Rinpoche, one of the greatest religious scholars was invited to be abbot

Attraction : The monestary was established in 1416 by Tsong Khapa's disciple Jamyang Qoigyi, who was versed in both Esoteric and Exotoric Buddhism and became the first Kampo there. With the support of plutocrats, it developed as the richest monastery of Gelugpa and became the mother temple of Dalai Lamas. In 1546, the third Dalai was welcomed as the first Living Buddha into

Attraction : Sera, one of the three largest monasteries of Gelugpa, sits at the foothills of Tatipu. It is as prestigious as Drepung and Ganden, which both have longer histories. Sera, in Tibetan, means "Wild Rose Garden" since opulent wild rose woods once grew around it. A legend says that Tsong Khapa and his two disciples traveled in the area, spreading their religion. One day, they heard a

Attraction : Situated in Dranang, Samye Monastery was completed in 779 under the patron of Trisong Detsen. At the time of Samye's construction, Buddhism had been transmitted into Tibet, but there were no formal Buddhist priests or rituals. Trisong Detsen decided to invite Santarakshita and Padmasambhava, both Buddhist figureheads in India, to promote Buddhism in Tibet and