Lhasa enjoys delightful weather, throughout all seasons. It has 3000 hours of sunshine annually - hence its popular name "The Sunshine City".
The Potala Palace
With 117 meters high, the world famous Potala Palace is located on "Red Hill",to the west of old Lhasa. The entire building is made of stone and wood, with walls averaging 3 meters thick. It was originally built in the year of 640 A.D. The Potala Palace has 13 stories, and has over 1000 rooms.
 The Red Palace contains various chapels and mausoleums for previous Dalai Lamas. The 5th Dalai Lama's mausoleum is in the west part of the palace and is 5-storeys high. His enormous Chorten is gold-covered and inlaid with diamonds, pearls, turquoise, agate and coral. The whole structure stands 14 meters high.
The White Palace contains the living quarters of successive Dalai Lamas and their tutors. The offices of the old Tibetan government and their assembly halls are also located here. The original Potala was destroyed in the 9th century, and was rebuilt during the reign of the 5th Dalai Lama and completed in the late 17th century. The Potala has been a sacred place for hundreds of years. After 1956 when Tibet was liberated, the Potala was listed as a cultural relic under the special protection of the state. Architecturally, it is considered to be one of the wonders of the world.
 Sera Monastery
Sera means "Hailstone" in Tibetan, it was not built in a mountainside, but at the foot of the "Wudu Hill" to the North of Lhasa city. It was completed in 1419, under the supervision of Shaka Yeshe was an important teacher who traveled to Beijing and as far as Mongolia to preach Buddhism. He was given the title "The Tutor of the Empire" by the Ming Emperor.
Sera comprises a great sutra chanting hall, a college and 32 sections. It once housed nearly 10000 monks and is proud of its glorious history during the Ming Dynasty. Sera has been listed as one of the China's national cultural relic since 1982.
The Jokhang Temple
The Jokhang Temple was originally built in 647 A.D. It was built by craftsmen from Tibet, China and Nepal and thus features different architectural styles.  The Jokhang is the spiritual center of Tibet and the holiest destination for all Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims.
Every Tibetan New Year, which falls some time between January to March, according to the Tibetan Calendar, the Jokhang hosts the "Great Prayer Festival". During the festivals, thousands of monks come to perform colorful religious activities in and around the Jokhang, and there is much celebration throughout Lhasa.
 Barkhor Street
Barkhor Street is the oldest street in Lhasa. It is located in the center of old Lhasa, and it's circular shape. It is a place where Tibetan culture, economy, religion and arts assemble. Barkhor is the road which pilgrims tramped out around Jokhang Temple through centuries.
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