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The Yunnan to Tibet Tea Horse Road Expedition

Exploring the Three Parallel Rivers

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Discovering The "Swiss-Alps" of Tibet

Tibetan Meditation

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Royal Dietary Therapy

Puji Temple & Mountain Hike

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The Yunnan to Tibet Tea Horse Road Expedition 11N/12D

“Exploring Three Parallel Rivers” 8N/9D

Tibetan Family Dinner

Tianbao Abujee Snow Mountain Hike

Yunnan Golden Monkey National Park

Tiger Leaping Gorge Visit

Tiger Leaping Gorge Hike

Wenfeng Temple & Wenbi Mountain Hike

Puji Temple

Outdoor Rock Climbing

Plant Magic

Hiking/Cycling Around Feilai Temple

Mingyong Glacier Hike

Baima Snow Mountain Hike

Tibetan Prayer Flag Printing

Nanjiluo Hike

Cizhong Catholic Church Visit

Tofu Making Experience

“Lhasa” in Lhasa: Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Street

Mani Stone Painting

Jampa Buddha Puja Celebration

Gedong Festival

Shoton Festival “Yogurt Festival”

The Tibetan New Year (Losar)

At present, Songtsam has two collections with eleven properties,

including seven boutique Lodges and four Linka hotels.

Our attentive travel butler and vehicle service

shape the unique“One Circuit and One Route”——

Songstam Shangri-la Circuit and Sonstam Yunnan-Tibet Route.

Shangri-La China Tour: Discovering the Magic of Tibet

Circling Holy Lhasa

U ncover Tibet's rich history and culture

in the most representative holy land in the world

Focusing on the Mind’s “Optimal Experience

Embark on an unparalleled pilgrimage to Lhasa following

in the footsteps of past explorers along China's most ancient trade route

Be Inspired

Nourished by Tibetan culture，

the Lodges and Linka hotels of Songtsam are all hidden inside

the natural, mysterious and untouched place in Tibetan area.

As the sub-brand of Songtsam group,

Songtsam Travel designs the most joyful tours based on local culture，

What all the Songstam people wish，

is to reveals you the charm of Tibetan area and open up the gateway

to hidden destinations of Shambhala.

Face Laigu glacier and breath among the snow mountains，glaciers and lakes. Songtsam Laigu Lodge is Songtsam’s highest property at an altitude of 4,200m and is one of the most unique heritage hotels to be found in the world.

Hiking in the Forest

Hiking among the primeval forests, Breathing the fresh air freely, and enjoying rare wild flowers of the alpine or the plateau.

Experiencing Tibetan Cultural

Going deep into local villages, joining in traditional Tibetan activities, and understanding the wisdom of Tibetan culture through Tangka painting.

Local Cuisines

Eat locally, eat in season, and eat among traving. Depending on local ingredients, Songtasam meals retain the local flavor and as far as possible to take care of many tastes.

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Address Songzan Green Valley Hotel, Songzanlin temple, Shangri La, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province

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Tibet Songtsan Travel

Tibet Songtsan Travel was established in 2012, by two very experienced tour guides, Tenzin and Dawa.

Tenzin: “We focus on giving our clients an in-depth cultural travel experience by sharing our knowledge about the traditions and religion of Tibet and through meeting our local community”.

Songtsen Travel is a social enterprise, committed to contribute back to society through it social responsibility initiatives.

Helping a school and a nunnery

Tenzin: “We believe in the concept of helping people to help themselves. We have been trying our best with our limited funds to provide diversified contributions to the society.

Because I did not get a good education it is my wish to support education opportunities for the next generation of Tibetan children. We are supporting a small Tibetan school where we teach all subjects but also Tibetan language and history which are not taught in the government schools.

If you would like to visit a school in Tibet, we would love to invite you to the school we support.

We also helped already 10 students with their school fees for higher education.

My other wish is to help several nunneries in my birthplace. The nunneries are in a poor condition due to a lack of visitors and therefore a lack of donations. We are right now funding and finding funding to build religious statues in one of the nunneries. We are currently building a two-story high statue of Avalokhteshvara. When the statue is finished the local people will come to worship and their donations will help improve the living standards of the nuns in a sustainable way.

We also supported a group of handicapped people to set up their own handicraft workshop and shop from 2010-2014. This project is a success and the handicapped people now do not need our financial support anymore. They are selling thangkas and traditional bags and when our clients like to visit the shop we take them there.”

Small scale entrepreneur mentorships

Songtsan travel has been assisting several small scale entrepreneurs in starting their business. Currently we are mentoring three small scale enterprises. The main aim of this mentorship and funding project is to improve the living standard of local residents and contribute back to the society. Tenzin: “We believe those who receive our assistance will become an example in their community and one day their will initiate their own mentor-ship to others.”

If the business improves and develops in the future, Songtsan Travel wants to provide medical help and micro credit opportunities to people in remote areas.

Clothes distributions to local people

Tenzin: “As an tour operating company we have greater privilege to meet people in different parts of Tibet. We are distributing clothes to needy people we meet on our tours. The clothes are mostly donated by our clients, friends and our staff. We are very happy to bring them warm clothes, which are very helpful in the cold winters here in Tibet.”

Clean up programs and high lamas

Tenzin: “We do understand the important role nature has in the development of the huge tourism industry in Tibet. As a tour company it is our responsibility to try our best to preserve nature. Although the local government and provincial government are doing a wonderful job in protecting Tibet’s natural resources, we are also doing our bit to help lighten the burden. Every year during winter we have a training for our guides and crew members on Eco-Tourism and organize clean up programs.

It is important to give a good example to local communities and other tourism operators. Sometimes though our programs are misunderstood. For example during a clean up program at the monastery the monks asked us how much money we would get for the rubbish we collected!

I would like to ask some of the high lamas to include in their teachings why it is important to protect nature and not to litter. They teach to sometimes more than 10000 people at a time and if they would say littering is bad the people would listen. For example the government already for many years told that is was bad to buy and wear fur from wild animals like antelopes, tigers and leopards, they even arrested some dealers but nobody listened until an very important high lama said that is was not good to buy and wear fur. After his teaching Tibetans stopped wearing fur and they even burned skins and clothing made of fur in front of the Potala.

Therefore I really would like to ask the high lamas in Tibet to give the message to stop littering, but so far I have been too shy to ask….

We believe in doing our bit with the noblest intentions. Doing business with us means you are boosting our ability to do more in the coming years. As long as the sky exists, may our noble intentions shine brightly.”

Staff Training

Tenzin: “Good guides are the most important asset of a travel company. They should be good hosts, good story tellers, explain daily life of Tibetans and be knowledgable in Tibetan culture and religion. They also have to be responsible, look after the health and safety of the clients and the protection of the environment and cultural values. Guide training is so important to make sure the guides understand fully their duty and have passion for their work.

We provide staff training in protection of the environment, in particular we promote awareness about protection of wild animals and flora. We also train our staff in Tibetan culture and conservation of cultural heritage and First Aid. We took part in several ecotourism workshops, conferences and an exchange program to the USA, organised by Columbia University, and learned how to adopt the ecotourism principles.

Our guides took part in Tibet Tourism Board Trainings on responsible guiding and  First Aid.

We also joined a video editing and camera setting training organized by Columbia University in Lhasa in 2015. Two guides also joined the Guide Training organised in 2015 in Lhasa, focussing on First aid, environmental protection and leadership.”

Staff members

Tenzin - owner and manager.

Dawa - Owner and Manager

Tenzin Yonten - Sales representative

• Address: Jokhang Temple Square, 2nd floor next to Dicos, Lhasa
• Website: https://songtsantibettravel.com
• Phone: +86 891 6364414, 13638901182
• Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Tibet Songtsan Travel

• Post author By Songtsan Travel
• Post date January 7, 2023

Tibet, often referred to as the “Roof of the World,” is a truly unique and mystical destination. Located in the Himalayas, Tibet is known for its high altitude, beautiful monasteries, and rich cultural traditions. If you’re planning a trip to Tibet, Songtsan Travel is a great choice for a tour operator.

Located in the capital city of Lhasa, Songtsan Travel has been providing top-notch tours of Tibet for over 20 years. Their team of experienced guides are knowledgeable about the local culture and history, and are dedicated to providing a personalized and comfortable experience for all their guests.

One of the highlights of a trip to Tibet is visiting the Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dalai Lama. Songtsan Travel offers a variety of tours that include a visit to the palace, as well as other cultural and historical sites in and around Lhasa. These tours are a great way to learn about the unique Tibetan culture and to see some of the most beautiful and iconic sites in the region.

In addition to cultural tours, Songtsan Travel also offers adventure tours for those looking for a more active vacation. These tours take you to some of the most breathtaking and remote areas of Tibet, including Mount Kailash and the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon. These tours are perfect for those who love hiking and exploring the great outdoors.

No matter what type of tour you choose, Songtsan Travel has the expertise and resources to make your trip to Tibet an unforgettable experience. So if you’re planning a trip to the Roof of the World, be sure to consider Songtsan Travel for all your travel needs.

• Tags Tibet Tours , Tibet Travel , tibet travel agency

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King Songtsen Gampo

Songtsen Gampo is the forefather of Buddhism in Tibet. Two generations before King Trisong Detsen invited Shantarakshita and Padmasambhava to Tibet, King Songtsen Gampo cultivated the nation for its transformation, clearing pathways for the dharma to enter and ultimately permeate Tibetan culture. Without Songsten Gampo there would be no Tibetan alphabet, Lhasa would have no Jokang, and the supreme demoness of Central Tibet might still be roaming the earth unfettered.

Songtsen Gampo reigned from 617 to 650. His Yarlung dynasty was based in Central Tibet during an imperialist period in Tibetan history. Bön was the dominant religion, and Buddhism was only seminally present. No Tibetan translations of the Buddhist scriptures existed, partially because there was no written form of Tibetan, so Songsten Gampo instructed his minister Thonmi Sambota to travel to India, study Sanskrit, and develop a Tibetan script. He then commissioned the translation of several thousand texts.

His celebrated successes in battle expanded the Tibetan empire deep into Nepal and China, and it was during these battles that he gained an appreciation of the neighbouring cultures. As a reminder of the great empire that Songtsen Gampo ruled, a large pillar still stands before the Potala palace in Lhasa, erected during his reign, on which is inscribed the agreement between the Tibetan and Chinese rulers to respect each other’s borders. He studied Chinese, became skilled in the art of leadership, and most importantly, he adopted sacred codes of conduct from Buddhist scripture. Under his rule, sacred practices began to replace the shamanistic practices of the Bönpos.

Songtsen Gampo’s two queens can be credited for a great part of his cultural awareness. Bhirkuti, from Kathmandu, brought the traditions of Himalayan Buddhism. Princess Wengchin, daughter of the Tang emperor, brought a treasure trove of ancient Chinese wisdom. She travelled across the steppes to her husband with a collection of Chinese classic literature and texts on sacred astrology, geomancy, and medicine.

Many obstacles lay in Princess Wengchin’s path as she headed to Yarlung. She had a vision of a gargantuan demoness who lay sprawled across the Himalayas, so large that one limb lay in Paro, Bhutan and another lay in Western Tibet. When she arrived in Yarlung, she shared her vision with her new husband. Recognizing the value of the treasures that his bride brought to him, as well as the importance of her vision, King Songsten Gampo commissioned thirteen demoness-subjugating temples across the land, built over the demoness’s vital organs, ankles, wrists, and torso, forever binding her from wreaking havoc. The Lhasa Jokang was built over her heart centre, and Wengchin’s Buddha statue was placed inside, where it still resides. Other such temples are Trenduk Lhakhang in Tsetang and Paro Kyichu in Bhutan.

King Songtsen Gampo is considered a human emanation of Avalokiteshvara, and he was the grandfather of King Trisong Detsen. Songtsen Gampo meditated for several years in a cave that is now at the core of Potala palace, and is revered for his great patronage of Buddhism.

Through his enlightened leadership, the path was cleared for the dharma to be propagated throughout the provinces, and for Buddhism to flourish.

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Songtsen Gampo

At the young age of thirteen, Songtsen Gampo took the throne and sent a minister to Nepal to arrange a marriage alliance with Princess Bhrikuti Devi. The princess brought a statue of the Buddha figure Akshobhya with her when she came to Tibet for the marriage.

Creation of the Tibetan scripts

It is uncertain when Tonmi Sambhota, Songtsen Gampo’s minister, went to Kashmir to learn Sanskrit. He studied under Lipikara and Devavidyasimha and developed a Tibetan script based on the Indian Brahmi and Gupta scripts. He then translated The Tough Mystery texts into Tibetan.

According to A. F. Rudolf Hoernle, the Tibetan script was primarily developed from the Khotanese adaptation of the Indian Upright Gupta script. This is evident in the similar manners employed by the Tibetan and Khotanese scripts to indicate initial and long vowels and place vowels in the order of their alphabets, which differ significantly from other Indian-derived scripts.

Khotan was a Buddhist kingdom on the Silk Route near western Tibet, and Tonmi Sambhota may have studied with a Khotanese tutor in Kashmir because of the trade route from Khotan to Tibet via Kashmir.

Marriage alliance with Tang Dynasty

Songtsen Gampo aimed to expand his empire beyond Central Tibet, particularly to the north and east. After a long period of wars, he conquered the Chang, Bailan (sBa’i-lang), and Dangxian (Thang-shang) tribes and sought an alliance with China through marriage to Princess Wencheng , daughter of the Tang Emperor Taizong (r. 627 – 650). However, the Tuyuhun Kingdom’s ruler, Thokiki, also sought marriage with Princess Wencheng. The Tuyuhun had ruled the Kokonor region of northern Amdo since the fourth century.

When the Chinese Emperor Taizong initially refused to grant Princess Wencheng’s hand in marriage, Songtsen Gampo attacked the Chinese frontier province of Songzhou. Finally, in 641, he received the Chinese princess as his bride and another Buddha statue were brought to Tibet.

Construction of Two Buddhist Temple, Jokahng and Ramoche and Potala Palace

The Tibetan ruler erected two Buddhist temples in the metropolis of Kyishoe, which later became known as Lhasa. He constructed the Potala Palace atop the crimson hill. To accommodate the two Buddha sculptures brought by his wives from Nepal and China. The Ramoche Tsuglagkang was built for the Chinese statue, while the Rasa Trulnang Tsuglagkang subsequently known as the Jokang, was built for the Nepalese statue. Due to security concerns, the positions of the two sculptures were switched in the following generation.

Unification and Expansion of Empire

During this era, Songtsen Gampo expanded the Tibetan Empire to northern Burma and, in 640, to Nepal as well. This marked the inception of Tibetan family clans in Nepal such as Tsang, Lama, Sherpa, and Tamang. In 643, the Tibetan Empire grew further as Legmi, more commonly known in Tibetan language as Li Migkya, the final ruler of Zhang-zhung, surrendered, and Zhang-zhung became a subordinate state.

Referring to traditional Tibetan sources, Namkhai Norbu’s Necklace of Gzi states that Songtsen Gampo’s first interactions with Zhang-zhung were amicable. In reality, the Tibetan ruler’s initial wife was King Li Migkya’s daughter Li Tigmen (Li Thig-dman), for whom he offered his sister as a wife to the Zhang-zhung king. The Zhang-zhung princess carried with her many aspects of Bon culture to the Yarlung court. However, in 643, Songtsen Gampo invaded and conquered Zhang-zhung, having King Li Migkya executed.

Using the friendly ties between Tibet and China, Songtsen Gampo requested the Tang Emperor in 645 and subsequently erected a temple on Wutaishan (Ri-bo rtse-lnga), the five-peaked sacred mountain of the Buddha-figure Manjushri in present-day Shanxi Province.

In 648, the Chinese Emperor Taizong dispatched a goodwill delegation to the Indian Emperor Harsha (r. 606 – 647). However, by the time the delegation arrived, Harsha had already passed away, and his minister Arjuna had taken over. Arjuna was intolerant of Buddhism and thus ordered the execution of most of the Chinese delegation. The survivors fled to Nepal and sought Tibetan aid.

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• by Catherine
• Last Updated: 2023-01-31

Songtsen Gampo was born in Chongye County of Shannan Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Songtsen Gampo's father, Namri Songtsen, is a very accomplished emperor. Under the influence of Namri Songtsen, Songtsen Gampo in his youth has shown extraordinary talents. After his father was assassinated with poison by his political enemy, he succeeded to the throne at the age of 13. Songtsen Gampo is the famous king in Tibet's history and founder of the Tibetan Empire.

Songtsen Gampo (617-650), was the 33rd Tibetan king and actually the founder of the Tibetan Empire (Tubo). During his reign(629-650), he conquered many other tribes beyond Central Tibet, which greatly expanded the territory of the Tibet Empire and made it a powerful country on the Tibetan Plateau. He established Tubo’s political, cultural, military, economic, and legal systems, brought Buddhism from India and the Tang Dynasty to the Tibetan people, and introduced science and technology, as well as calendars from the Tang Dynasty. The following are his achievements.

United Tibetan Plateau

After taking the throne, while he was investigating the assassin of his father, he trained the army at the same time, soon he put down the rebellion, unified tribes on the plateau, moved the seat of his newly unified kingdom to Lhasa, and established the slave-owners regime of Tubo.

After that, he successively conquered the surrounding tribes such as Sumpa (Qinghai), Duomi, Bailan, Tangut (Ningxia), and Yangtong (Qiangtang). The empire became more powerful and increased in size.

Friendly Diplomacy

After the reunification of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, who was full of political foresight, took the initiative to send envoys to the neighboring country Nipoluo (Nepal). On the one hand, Songtsen Gampo married Princess Bhrikuti, promoted Tibet-Nepal mutual trades, and invited Nepali craftsmen and artists to teach architecture, painting, and carving skills in Tibet.

On the other hand, he sent envoys to Tang to set up and develop a close friendship first, then propose marriage. In order to establish a good relationship with Tubo and seek peace on the western border, Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty granted the request from the king of Tibet for marriage with the Chinese Princess Wencheng, niece of the Emperor, in the fifteenth year (641). Princess Wencheng's entry into Tibet brought Buddhism and various advanced science, technology, and culture from mainland China to the plateau, and further advanced the development of Tibet's economy and culture.

Cultural Achievements

Songtsen Gampo's most prominent contribution to culture is the creation of the Tibetan script and therefore the establishment of classical Tibetan characters. In the past, there's no script in Tibet. At the beginning of the 7th century AD, Songtsen Gampo sent 16 sons of nobles headed by his minister Thonmi Sambhota to India and different tribes of the Western Regions to study Sanskrit and characters. After repeated comparisons, Thonmi Sambhota created the Tibetan script on the basis of these languages, by adopting simple, clear strokes that are easy to write.

During the reign of Songtsen Gampo, he also sent a group of sons of nobles proficient in Tibetan to Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty to accept the advanced feudal culture of the Tang Dynasty.

Introduced Buddhism

The Tubo people originally believed in the Bon religion . Until the 7th century, the leader of the Bon religion maintained a high position in the Tibetan empire.

In the Songtsen Gampo period, he married Nepal Princess Bhrikuti and Chinese Princess Wencheng. Nepal is a well-known Buddhist country, and Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty was also extremely prosperous. Both princesses believed in Buddhists, and they brought Buddha statues, Buddhist scriptures, and artifacts to Tibet. According to the record, Thonmi Sambhota also brought several Buddhist scriptures when he returned to Tibet, which was later translated into Tibetan. Since then, Buddhism has been introduced to Tibet. Under the influence of the princesses, Songtsen Gampo began to accept Buddhism. He built the Jokhang Temple for Princess Bhrikuti and Ramoche Temple for Princess Wencheng in Lhasa, later Songtsen Gampo built 12 Buddhist temples, although at that time, most of the Tibetan people believed in Bon religion. It was not until the reign of Tribe Tsuktsen (704-755) that Buddhism gradually spread out on the plateau.

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Great Tibet Tour is a local tour company based in Lhasa, Tibet. It was founded in 2005 and recommended by Lonely Planet as one of the best reputed local Tibet travel agencies.

With the great responsibility, professional know-how and passion for innovation, Great Tibet Tour endeavors to provide you with enjoyable, thoughtful service, and authentic culture discovery.

Chongye, the tombs of Kings འཕྱོང་རྒྱས་གཞུང་

The Chongye was the ancient capital of Tibetan Kings until in 7th-century king Songtsen Gampo moved his capital to Lhasa city. The Valley is also well known for the tombs of Kings. It is located 28 kilometres from the Tsedang town .

History of Chongye, the tombs of Kings

Before moving the capital to Lhasa by the King Songtsen Gampo, Chongye was the ancient capital of Tibet . The first seven initial kings of Tibet are said to have an ascent to heaven at the time of their demise. From 8th to 24th king were interred in a different location and their burial sites. These site has not been recognized Yet. Subsequently, kings were buried in Chongye.

Historically the tombs of the kings are inaccessible for the laypeople, and there are no historical records of the location. These tombs are identified as per the written record of the locals of the Chongye in later centuries.

Tourist Guide to Chongye, the tombs of Kings

Nowadays there are 16 recognizable tombs of the king, out of which ten are in Chongye Valley, and six are Dungkar Valley. Tombs of Songtsen Gampo and his immediate ancestors and descendants are on the slope on Mulari Hill.

Among all the tombs in the Valley, the most massive tombs of the Songtsen Gampo, The Banso Marpo. This gigantic tomb is 13 meters high with it’s every side measuring 129 Meters. Many historical sources describe in details of enormous treasure and entire chapel contain within it.

But there is some other tradition believing the Songtsen Gampo vanish in light at the time of his demise, into Jho Rinpoche of Jokhang temple .

On the submit of his tomb, there is a small chapel constructed in 13 century by Nyingmapa Lama Menlungoi Shakya-O. From here you can have a birds-eye view of beautiful Chongye Valley.

Other nine tombs on the Chongye side are visible from the submit of Songtsen Gampo’s Tomb. These comprise

• Banso Dozher Hralpo, the mausoleum of the 35th King Mangsong Mang-tsen. (Left of Songtsen Gampo tomb).
• Banso Lharichen, the mausoleum of the 36th King Trulgyi Gyelpo. ( Right of Mangsong Mang-tsen tomb)
• Banso Lhari Tsuknam, the mausoleum of the 37th King Tride Tsukten Me Aktson ( On the slope of Mulari, ( Left of Trulgyi Gyelpo’s Tomb)
• Banso of Prince Jangsa Lha-on ( front of King Tride Tsukten Me Aktson’s Tomb)
• Banso Lhari Dempo, the mausoleum of the 39th King Mune Tsenpo. ( Right of King Tride Tsukten Me Aktson’s Tomb)
• Banso Gyelchen Trulzhi, the mausoleum of the 41st King Tri Ralpacan ( front of King Trulgyi Gyelpo’s tomb)
• Banso of 42nd and the last king of Tibet Langdarme ( Between the Banso of King Trulgyi Gyelpo and Relpachen)
• Banso of Price Namde Osung ( Behind King Trulgyi Gyelpo’s Tomb)
• Banso Trulri Truknang, the mausoleum of the 38th King Trisong Detsen . ( Behind King Tride Tsukten’s tomb and on the left on the slope of Mulari). This Banso has been missing since 18th Century; Some historical source noted that farmers had removed it.

During Your tour to the Valley, you can ask the monks at the chapel on the Songtsen Gampo tomb to show which is what. You can read more here.

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  The trains and stations of the Moscow Metro

  2 Comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Cities , Travel , Video

  The Moscow Metro is the third most intensive subway system in the world after Tokyo and Seoul subways. The first line was opened on May 15, 1935. Since 1955, the metro has the name of V.I. Lenin.

  The system consists of 12 lines with a total length of 305.7 km. Forty four stations are recognized cultural heritage. The largest passenger traffic is in rush hours from 8:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 19:00.

  Cellular communication is available on most of the stations of the Moscow Metro. In March 2012, a free Wi-Fi appeared in the Circle Line train. The Moscow Metro is open to passengers from 5:20 to 01:00. The average interval between trains is 2.5 minutes.

  The fare is paid by using contactless tickets and contactless smart cards, the passes to the stations are controlled by automatic turnstiles. Ticket offices and ticket vending machines can be found in station vestibules.

  

  Tags:  Moscow city

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  The bridge over Zolotoy Rog Bay in Vladivostok

  The views of St. Petersburg from the TV tower >>

  

  Tomás · August 27, 2012 at 11:34 pm

  The Moscow metro stations are the best That I know, cars do not.

  

  Alberto Calvo · September 25, 2016 at 8:57 pm

  Great videos! Moscow Metro is just spectacular. I actually visited Moscow myself quite recently and wrote a post about my top 7 stations, please check it out and let me know what you think! :)

  http://www.arwtravels.com/blog/moscow-metro-top-7-stations-you-cant-miss

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  The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

  There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

  The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

  Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

  Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

  With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

  Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

  Kievskaya station.

  

  Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

  Mayakovskaya Station

  Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

  Novoslobodskaya Station

  

  Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

  Komsomolskaya Station

  Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

  Dostoevskaya Station

  

  Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

  Chkalovskaya Station

  Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

  Elektrozavodskaya Station

  

  Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

  Baumanskaya Statio

  Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

  Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

  

  Novokuznetskaya Station

  Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

  Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

  Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

  Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

  Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

  

  Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

  
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  Story of Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng

  The  story of Tibet King Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng of Tang Dynasty  is well known by Tibetan people as well as Han people. If you wanna know Tibet, you must know this story at first as there are many tourist sites related with this story.

  The story happened about 1300 years ago when Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) left Chang'an (Xi'an) to marry Songtsan Gambo, king of the Tubo kingdom. Their marriage was aimed to maintain amicable relations between the Tang and the Tubo.   

  

  The Tang was a powerful dynasty in Chinese history. It was the civilization center of East Asia. Neighboring nations and tribes fell under the influence of the Tang Dynasty, and earnestly sought ties with the dynasty. They either claimed allegiance to the Tang or paid tributes to the imperial court. This stimulated exchanges between the Han and other nationalities.

  The same period saw Songtsan Gambo gain control of the highland area in the west. After having annexed some tiny states, he founded the Tubo Kingdom and named Loso (Lhasa) the capital city. Beginning in 634, he twice dispatched Gar Tongtsan to Chang'an, where the Tubo minister informed the Tang of Songtsan Gambo's desire for a daughter of the Tang emperor. Tang Emperor Taizong agreed to let Wencheng marry the Tubo king. Accompanied by the Tubo minister, Princess Wencheng set out for the farway Tubo Kingdom. This segment of history was later turned into tales which remain an important part of Tibetan folklore.

  

  Princess Wencheng brought crop and vegetable seeds to Tibet, and joined her entourage in teaching the local people how to grow crops and vegetables, grind wheat flour and make wine. Besides, Princess Wencheng brought out Buddhist pagodas, scriptures and statues of Buddha which she had brought into the Tubo area for construction of monasteries.

  Goats were mobilized to carry earth to fill in a pond for the construction of the  Jokhang Temple . Princess Wencheng and her husband, Songtsan Gambo, planted a willow tree in front of the monastery, which later was dubbed the Tang Willow, as the Uncle-Nephew Alliance Tablet (erected in 823 to mark the alliance between the Tang and the Tubo) was placed next to the tree. The statue of Sakyamuni enshrined in the center of the Main Hall of the Jokhang Monastery was the one Princess Wencheng brought into Tubo. In the side halls flanking the Main Hall are enshrined statues of Songtsan Gambo and Princess Wencheng. Their faces were heavily gilded by incessant worshipers of later generations.

  

  Princess Wencheng also had the  Ramoche Monastery  built. She named the eight surrouding mountains the Eight Treasures, a name which is still in use today. All these paved the way for the spread of Buddhism into Tubo Kingdom.

  Songtsan Gambo loved Princess Wencheng so much that he had the  Potala Palace  built for his talented and beautiful wife. The majestic Potala Palace, with 1000 chambers, was partially damaged by thunderbolts and wars. It twice underwent repairs and expansions in the 17th century, reaching its present size, with the 13-story main structure standing 117 meters high and covering a land area of 360000 square meters.

  

  Frescos of the Potala Palace record historical events, including Tang Emperor Taizong asking Gar Tongtsan to perform five difficult tasks before acceding to the envoy's request for his master to marry a Tang princess, the hardships Princess Wencheng endured on way to the Tubo Kingdom, and how warmly she was greeted at Lhasa.The ruins of the Tubo period behind the Potala Palace includes a chamber for Songtsan Gambo to meditate and practice Buddhism. On the four walls of the chamber hang colored statues of Songtsan Gambo, Princess Wencheng and Gar Tongtsan.

  

  About the Author - Chloe Xin

  My Name is Chloe, Senior Trip Advisor for Tibet trip with 5 years working experince in Tibet tourism. Loving Tibet, loving all beautiful thing around.A great funs of nature, with piercing eyes to find beauty in both Nature and People. Patient, Warm Hearted , Considerate, Easy- going , Knowledgeable and always ready to offer help to some one in need.

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  Moscow Metro – Part 2

  

  Have you been to Moscow ? In all seriousness, they have the prettiest metro stations I have ever seen and I still can’t believe how immaculate and lovely every station was. There are several different stations pictured below and this is the second of several posts where I will show you the beauty of the Moscow Metro. Did you see part 1 ?  There really isn’t much to say because I think the pictures speak for themselves. I have so many more pictures to share with you!

  

  Have you ever been to Moscow? Is it someplace you have thought about visiting?

  

  She speaks fluent English, French and Spanish, and works for a major airline. And guess what? She’s also a licensed elementary teacher and has an MBA.

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  This is the train STATION?? Oh my god… So gorgeous. Moscow has never even crossed my mind as a possible travel destination but this is gorgeous…Hmmm… LOL

  I know, right? We spent several hours in the metro, just marveling at the beauty of each one. Thanks for stopping by!

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  Claudia Looi

  Touring the Top 10 Moscow Metro Stations

  By Claudia Looi 2 Comments

  

  Komsomolskaya metro station looks like a museum. It has vaulted ceilings and baroque decor.

  Hidden underground, in the heart of Moscow, are historical and architectural treasures of Russia. These are Soviet-era creations – the metro stations of Moscow.

  Our guide Maria introduced these elaborate metro stations as “the palaces for the people.” Built between 1937 and 1955, each station holds its own history and stories. Stalin had the idea of building beautiful underground spaces that the masses could enjoy. They would look like museums, art centers, concert halls, palaces and churches. Each would have a different theme. None would be alike.

  The two-hour private tour was with a former Intourist tour guide named Maria. Maria lived in Moscow all her life and through the communist era of 60s to 90s. She has been a tour guide for more than 30 years. Being in her 60s, she moved rather quickly for her age. We traveled and crammed with Maria and other Muscovites on the metro to visit 10 different metro stations.

  

  Arrow showing the direction of metro line 1 and 2

  

  Moscow subways are very clean

  To Maria, every street, metro and building told a story. I couldn’t keep up with her stories. I don’t remember most of what she said because I was just thrilled being in Moscow.   Added to that, she spilled out so many Russian words and names, which to one who can’t read Cyrillic, sounded so foreign and could be easily forgotten.

  The metro tour was the first part of our all day tour of Moscow with Maria. Here are the stations we visited:

  1. Komsomolskaya Metro Station  is the most beautiful of them all. Painted yellow and decorated with chandeliers, gold leaves and semi precious stones, the station looks like a stately museum. And possibly decorated like a palace. I saw Komsomolskaya first, before the rest of the stations upon arrival in Moscow by train from St. Petersburg.

  2. Revolution Square Metro Station (Ploshchad Revolyutsii) has marble arches and 72 bronze sculptures designed by Alexey Dushkin. The marble arches are flanked by the bronze sculptures. If you look closely you will see passersby touching the bronze dog's nose. Legend has it that good luck comes to those who touch the dog's nose.

  

  Touch the dog's nose for good luck. At the Revolution Square station

  

  Revolution Square Metro Station

  3. Arbatskaya Metro Station served as a shelter during the Soviet-era. It is one of the largest and the deepest metro stations in Moscow.

  

  Arbatskaya Metro Station

  4. Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station was built in 1935 and named after the Russian State Library. It is located near the library and has a big mosaic portrait of Lenin and yellow ceramic tiles on the track walls.

  

  Lenin's portrait at the Biblioteka Imeni Lenina Metro Station

  

  5. Kievskaya Metro Station was one of the first to be completed in Moscow. Named after the capital city of Ukraine by Kiev-born, Nikita Khruschev, Stalin's successor.

  

  Kievskaya Metro Station

  6. Novoslobodskaya Metro Station  was built in 1952. It has 32 stained glass murals with brass borders.

  

  Novoslobodskaya metro station

  7. Kurskaya Metro Station was one of the first few to be built in Moscow in 1938. It has ceiling panels and artwork showing Soviet leadership, Soviet lifestyle and political power. It has a dome with patriotic slogans decorated with red stars representing the Soviet's World War II Hall of Fame. Kurskaya Metro Station is a must-visit station in Moscow.

  

  Ceiling panel and artworks at Kurskaya Metro Station

  

  8. Mayakovskaya Metro Station built in 1938. It was named after Russian poet Vladmir Mayakovsky. This is one of the most beautiful metro stations in the world with 34 mosaics painted by Alexander Deyneka.

  

  Mayakovskaya station

  

  One of the over 30 ceiling mosaics in Mayakovskaya metro station

  9. Belorusskaya Metro Station is named after the people of Belarus. In the picture below, there are statues of 3 members of the Partisan Resistance in Belarus during World War II. The statues were sculpted by Sergei Orlov, S. Rabinovich and I. Slonim.

  

  10. Teatralnaya Metro Station (Theatre Metro Station) is located near the Bolshoi Theatre.

  

  Teatralnaya Metro Station decorated with porcelain figures .

  

  Taking the metro's escalator at the end of the tour with Maria the tour guide.

  Have you visited the Moscow Metro? Leave your comment below.

  

  January 15, 2017 at 8:17 am

  An excellent read! Thanks for much for sharing the Russian metro system with us. We're heading to Moscow in April and exploring the metro stations were on our list and after reading your post, I'm even more excited to go visit them. Thanks again 🙂

  

  December 6, 2017 at 10:45 pm

  Hi, do you remember which tour company you contacted for this tour?

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