Gyantse County

The circle Gyantse ( Tib. rgyal rtse, Tibetan: རྒྱལ་རྩེ་; Gyantse ) is located in the district of Shigatse in Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It has an area of 3859 km ² and 60,000 inhabitants (2003 ).

Its administrative seat, the greater community of Gyantse, is the fourth largest city of Tibet to Lhasa, Xigaze and Qamdo and lies 3977 m above sea level at the Friendship Highway, the Lhasa, capital of Tibet, connects Kathmandu in Nepal.

In the center of Gyantse originally was a mountain fortress, which dates back to the 9th century. In the 14th century it became a monastery Pelkhor Chode ( Tib: dpal 'khor chos sde ) rebuilt and enlarged. The monastery is famous for its Kumbum (Tibetan: sku 'bum ), the largest chorten (Tibetan: mchod rten) of Tibet, which was given in 1440 in order. This building has four floors with 108 bands and over 10,000 murals. The monastery houses monks Pelkhor Chode of three schools of Tibetan Buddhism: Sakya, Gelug and Bodong.

In 1904 was built halfway up the mountain fortress of a platform for cannons to repel the invasion of British troops.

In Gyantse district mainly highland barley, peas, millet and vegetables are grown. He is one of the most important agricultural regions of Tibet. Carpets from Gyantse are famous throughout Tibet.

Administrative divisions of the circle Gyantse

Ethnic structure of the population Gyangzês (2000)

At the census in the year 2000 61.431 inhabitants were counted in Gyantse.