Shigatse is the second largest city in Tibet, sitting at an elevation of 3,840 metres in the Yarlung Tsangpo valley. It is the seat of the Panchen Lama, and the Tashilhunpo Monastery — built in 1447 — is the reason most travellers come here. At its height the monastery housed more than 4,000 monks; today around 600 remain, and the great gilded mausoleum halls are among the most impressive religious structures in Tibet.
The Shigatse Dzong, the old fortress partially destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, sits atop a rocky hilltop above the city. The silhouette of the reconstructed walls against the mountains is a striking landmark. The modern city below is a Chinese administrative centre with little character, but the old Tibetan quarter around the monastery still has the feel of traditional life, with pilgrims spinning prayer wheels and a good Tibetan market nearby.
Shigatse lies about 280 kilometres southwest of Lhasa on the Friendship Highway, which continues west to the Nepal border at Gyirong. Most travellers visit as part of an overland journey rather than staying long. Day trips to Gyantse, Shalu Monastery, and Narthang Monastery are all feasible from here.