Jokhang

Jokhang is a Buddhist temple at the heart of Lhasa's old city, considered the most sacred temple in Tibetan Buddhism and a constant destination for pilgrims who circumambulate the structure on the Barkhor circuit. Founded in the 7th century during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo, the temple houses the Jowo Rinpoche, a gilt statue of the Buddha Shakyamuni at age twelve, regarded as the most revered image in Tibet. The gilded rooftop of the Jokhang, with its dharma wheel and deer flanking motif, is a widely recognised symbol of Tibetan Buddhism.