Lhasa History & Culture

As the capital of the Xizang Autonomous Region, Lhasa is an ancient city with a history of 1300 years. It is located on the north bank of Lhasa, a tributary of the the Yarlung Zangbo River, 91 ° 06 ′ E, 29 ° 36 ′ N, with an altitude of more than 3650 meters. In Tibetan, "Lhasa" means "Holy Land" or "Buddha Land". It has long been the political, economic, cultural and religious center of Xizang. The magnificent Potala Palace is the symbol of the supreme theocratic regime. On May 23, 1951, Xizang was peacefully liberated, and Lhasa entered a new era. In 1960, the State Council officially approved Lhasa as a prefecture level city, and in 1982, it was designated as one of the first 24 national historical and cultural cities to be announced.