The Jokhang is considered the spiritual heart of Lhasa and is the most sacred in Tibet. The most valuable thing inside is the statue of 12-year-old Sakyamuni, that was brought to Tibet by Princess Wencheng from China.
It is located at the Barkhor Square in the center of the city. It is recommended to have a prior reservation or online ticket purchase, e.g. via the WeChat mini-program. It also offers, unlike others, a good English language interface. Tickets can be purchased from 7am the day prior. Tickets are for entry in a selected time slot. I strongly recommend to go with a guide to explain the history, art, religion, importance of the building, statues and murals.
When arriving at the temple, the tourist entrance is on the right. On the left is the (free of charge) entrance for the worshippers and pilgrims, but it is a long, slow moving line. Inside the temple the two are kept separate, but it can still get crowded and stuffy inside.
Built in 640 by mostly Nepalese artists and craftsmen, it today consists of a Tibetan Buddhist Temple and a school monastery.
Following the war in 1792 the Chinese emperor did not allow Nepalese worshippers to visit the temple anymore and it became an exclusive Tibetan temple.
During the Cultural Revolution the temple was attacked by the Red Guards and no worship was possible for a decade from 1966 onwards.
The temple was renovated from 1972 to 1980 and became UNESCO World Heritage in the year 2000.