Barkhor

The Barkhor is an ancient market street and circumambulation circuit surrounding the Jokhang temple in central Lhasa, functioning simultaneously as a sacred kora route, a commercial bazaar, and the social heart of Tibetan urban life. Pilgrims from across the Tibetan plateau walk the circuit clockwise, spinning prayer wheels and prostrating at key points, while market stalls sell thangka paintings, butter lamps, incense, turquoise jewellery, and traditional textiles. The street layout and the ring of whitewashed traditional courtyard buildings preserve the character of historic Lhasa.