GYANTSE is one of the large towns of Tibet with the history of over six centruries. It lies by the road from Lhasa to Sakya, Shigatse and Yatong at 13, 050 ft above sea level. Since the ancient times, it has been a center where pilgrims, merchants and travelers converge.Its market is the third largest in Tibet, coming after Lhasa and Shigatse, and is especially celebrated for its woollen cloth and carpet manufactures. Here caravans come from Ladakh, Nepal and upper Tibet, bringing gold, borax, salt, wool, musk and furs, to exchange for tea, tobacco, sugar, cotton goods

The town is compactly built of stone houses, with wooden balconies facing the main street, whence narrow lanes strike off into uninviting slums, and contains a fort and monastery.

Palkhor Monastery

Palkhor Monastery is sited about 143 miles (230km) south of Lhasa and 62 miles (100km) east of Shigatse, at the foot of Dzong Hill. It has an unusual structural style and houses a collection of pure silk costumes worn in Tibetan opera, all richly embroidered, that date from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The monastery is also unique in that it is the only one known to accommodate monks from three different orders: the Gelugpa, Sakyapa and Kahdampa monks all get along famously.

Kumbum stupa

Kumbum stupa- the famous Kumbum pagoda stands nine Storys with its 108 doors and 77 chapels containing clay sculptures and various murals.
The pagoda is said to be the home of 10,000 images either sculptured or painted, this also earns its name to 100000-image pagoda.