Gyantse

Gyantse (3950m) is in the Nyang Chu valley, 254km south-west of Lhasa, is a tipical small Tibetan town.

 

Gyantse is one of the few places where the mordernazation has not changed much. It is easy to spend a couple of days in Gyantse.  

 

The BBC Four documentary "A Year in Tibet" focused on the lives of ordinary Tibetans living in Gyantse.

 

Overview

 

Gyantse is strategically located on the ancient trade routes from the Chumbi Valley, Yatung and Sikkim, which met here.

 

From Gyantse, routes led to Shigatse downstream and also over the Karo La (Pass) to Central Tibet.

 

Its position at the cross-roads of trade routes leading south to Bhutan, west to Shigatse and north to Lhasa turned Gyantse into the third largest town in Tibet.

 

Know More

 

Between the 14th and 15th centuries, Gyantse emerged as the center of a fielfdom with powerful connections with the Sakyapa order.

  The reason why people build a town there is because of the trade in wool. The location was good because Gyantse was on the road to India.

 

By 1440 Gyantse's most impressive architectural achievements "The Kumbum and the Dzong" had been completed. Gyantse's historical importance declined from the end of the 15th century, though it continued to be a major centre for the trade of wood and wool between India and Tibet.

 

Gyantse is often referred to as the "Hero City" because during the British Younghusband expedition of 1904, the 500 soldiers of the Gyantse dzong held the fort for several days before they were overcome by the British forces.

 

Must See

 

Gyantse is known because of its Fortress, the Dzong Fort, a very special building, the Kimbum Stupa, and a monastery, the Pelkor Chode.

 

• Yamdrok Lake
• Dzong Fort
• Kimbum Stupa
• Pelkor Chode
• Karola Glacier
• Tashilhunpo Monastery