Barkhor is actually a complex of street and a square located in the oldest part of the city of Lhasa. The street originated in the clockwise route which Buddhist pilgrim used to circumambulate Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s most holy. Today the pilgrims are still circumambulating the temple and the surrounding area has become a major tourist destination.
This is the best place to see traditional Tibetan architecture and the streets are lined by small shops selling souvenirs such as prayer wheels, the tradition Tibetan long-sleeve ‘chuba’, Tibetan knives, jade jewelry, Buddhist statues and other religious artifacts. Alongside the many colorful shops are many small, cheap restaurants specializing in authentic Tibetan food. The area also has a number of small temples to complement the Jokhang and in the south-eastern corner is Tibet’s Muslim area where you can see many excellent paintings and cultural relics. When in the main Barkhor Street with its pilgrims you should remember to walk in a clockwise direction. The road is about one kilometer long. Many of these pilgrims have walked hundreds of miles to be here, some prostrating themselves every few feet. For them it is a profound statement of faith and one of the most important rites in a Tibetan Buddhist’s life. The Barkhor Street area is one of the most fascinating and colorful places in all of Tibet. Here you will see a true and peaceful tibetan people’s life.