Lhasa Barkhor listed as top ten historical streets in China

Barkhor Street is located in the old area of Lhasa City of Tibet Autonomous Region. This well-preserved circular street area surrounding Jokhang Temple has strong religious and cultural flavor, which makes Barkhor Street a popular destination for both pilgrims and locals. Everyday, we can see many pilgrimages walking clockwise in the street, holding the prayer wheels. Some of them even move forward body-lengths by body-lengths. 

Barkhor Street is also a business center. Numerous shops stand on both sides of the street and thousands of vendors can be found on every corner, selling religious articles, traditional Tibetan clothes, Tibetan knives, 'Thangka' (Tibetan scroll painting) and other souvenirs.

With a history of over 1,300 years, the street was built and developed in concert with Jokhang Temple. Jokhang Temple was built in 647 by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo (617 - 650), and it quickly attracted thousands of Buddhist pilgrims. The large number of pilgrims gradually wore a path, which was the origin of Barkhor Street. To this day, many pilgrims can be seen there holding prayer wheels and walking clockwise around the temple from dawn to dusk.

Composed of 35 major or small streets, the street has a circumference of roughly 1,000 meters. It is paved with hand-polished stone boards, and traditional Tibetan buildings stand on both sides, giving a traditional flavor of Lhasa. Despite its relative narrowness, the street accommodates thousands of tourists every day and has become a symbol of Lhasa.