Phố Barkhor

Barkhor Street is the devotional and commercial heart of old Lhasa, the narrow ring of lanes that encircles Jokhang Temple and forms the most important kora, or ritual circumambulation, in the city. For Tibetan Buddhists, walking the Barkhor circuit is an essential act of devotion, and for centuries pilgrims who have crossed the plateau to reach the Jokhang have completed their journey by moving slowly around its walls, prayer beads and prayer wheels in hand.

The circuit is also the most vibrant street in the old city. The lanes are lined with traditional Tibetan buildings whose whitewashed walls, painted woodwork, and hanging textiles give the area a character that is distinct from anywhere else in Lhasa. Shops sell devotional objects, turquoise and coral jewelry, butter lamps, prayer flags, incense, and religious texts, and small teahouses open onto the street where travelers and local residents sit together over sweet tea and conversation. The density of trade and worship on the same street is what gives Barkhor its unique atmosphere.

Walking the Barkhor is a highlight of any visit to Lhasa. Pilgrims prostrate themselves along the route, monks and nuns pass on their way to and from the Jokhang, and the flow of people moves in a clockwise direction that gives the street its own internal rhythm. The experience is most intense in the early morning, when devotees arrive for the first circuit of the day, and at dusk, when the light glows on the gilded roof of the temple and the surrounding buildings.

Barkhor Street is also one of the best places in Lhasa to observe the diversity of the Tibetan world, drawing pilgrims and traders from across the plateau alongside residents of the city itself. For visitors, the circuit offers a chance to slow down, drink tea, browse, and watch, and it is the single best place to feel the living religious culture that the great monuments of Lhasa exist to serve.