Why visit Xigazê
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 4 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Tashilhunpo Monastery.
Weather in Xigazê
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Xigazê
Samzhubzê District (also spelled Sangzhuzi District, Samdruptse District) is a district in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the China, and the administrative center of the prefecture-level city of Shigatse (Tibetan Pinyin: Xigazê). Prior to 2014 it was known as the county-level city of Shigatse. It was the ancient capital of Ü-Tsang province and is the second largest city in Tibet with an estimated population of 117,000 in 2013. Samzhubzê is located at the confluence of the Yarlung Tsangpo River and the Nyang River (Nyang Chu or Nyanchue), about 250 km (160 mi) southwest of Lhasa and 90 km (56 mi) northwest of Gyantse, at an altitude of 3,840 metres (12,600 ft).
From the Wikipedia article Samzhubzê, Xigazê (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Xigazê on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Things to do6
Tashilhunpo Monastery
Monument and historic site · Tibetan · 2.3 km
Building in Shigatse, Tibet, China
Museums and landmarks3
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes4
History
In the 17th century, the city and the dzong was called Samdrubtsé (one of the transliterations of the current name). It was the capital of the Tsang.
In the 19th century, the "Tashi" or Panchen Lama had temporal power over Tashilhunpo Monastery and three small districts, though not over the town of Shigatse itself, which was administered by two Dzongpön (Prefects) appointed from Lhasa. The Tibetan territory was divided into 53 prefecture districts called Dzongs.
There were two Dzongpöns for every Dzong—a lama (Tse-dung) and a layman. They were entrusted with both civil and military powers and are equal in all respects, though subordinate to the generals and the Chinese Amban in military matters. However, there were only one or two Ambans representing the Qing (Manchu) Chinese emperor residing in Lhasa, directing a little garrison, and their power installed since 1728, progressively declined to end-up as observer at the eve of their expulsion in 1912 by the 13th Dalai Lama. In 1952, shortly after the annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China, Shigatse had a population of perhaps 12,000 people, making it the second largest town in Tibet.
From the History section of Samzhubzê, Xigazê on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship3
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Healthcare3
Map of Xigazê
53 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Shigatse Peace Airport (RKZ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 42 km away.
- Luobuqiongzi 37 km east, about 37 min by car
- Jiangzi 79 km southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Shigatse2, Antoine Taveneaux, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Entrance to Tashilhunpo Monastery, B_cool from SIN, Singapore, CC BY 2.0
- Narthang, www.himalayanart.org, Public domain
- Kache mosque, Mr.work-shy, CC BY 1.0
Page built November 3, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.