Yumbulagang Palace

Chinese Name: 雍布拉康 （Yong Bu La Kang）
Location: southeast of Tsedang, Shannan Area Tibet
Ticket: CNY60.00
Estimated tour time: 2-3 hours
Recommended time to visit: May to Oct
Nearby attractions: Samye Monastery, Changzhu Monastery, Yamdrok Lake, Gandan Monastery, etc.

Situated in the hilltop of southeast of Tsedang, Shannan Area, Yumbulagang Palace, means "mother and son" Palace in Tibetan language, is the first palace in Tibetan history, is also one of the earliest construction of Tibet.

With a history of over 2100 years, Yumbulagang Palace was built by the first Tibetan king, Nyatri Tsenpo, in the 2nd century AD , and was the first palace in Tibet. It became Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng’s summer palace before Songtsen Gampo moved the capital to Lhasa. The palace was later transformed into a Gelugpa monastery during the time of the fifth Dalai Lama.

Princess Wencheng was Songtsen Gampo’s second concubine who was a niece of the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. She was married off to Tibet in a political marriage to keep peaceful relations between the Tang Dynasty and Tibet.

During the history, it went several destructions and most of the buildings were ruined and the remains were rebuilt after 1982. Now like other temples of Tibet, it is mainly dedicated to the worship of Shakyamuni Buddha. As for the splendid history, there are various murals and wall paintings telling its stories of the first king of Tibet, the first architecture of Tibet and the first land in Tibet.

Small in scale, the three-storied monastery consists of towers, chapels, and halls. The monastery walls are painted with colorful murals vividly depicted on the history and story of the first king of Tibet, the first building, the first piece of arable land. Enshrined at the palace are the statues of Thiesung Sangjie Buddha, King Niechi, the first King of Tibet, Songsten Gampo and other Tubo kings. Locals climb to the monastery to light butter lights in the hope that this practice will bring them good luck.

Yumbulagang Palace is considered the oldest building in Tibet, which is a remarkably impressive sight, with a lovely setting.As one of the first buildings in Tibet, the palace has a watchtower styled building with many historical relics kept inside. It is a must see for tourists who are interested about Tibet history. Besides the architecture itself, the views from the hill top are amazing by overlooking the green fields and villages around, and mountains extending to the horizon.