page_title: Architecture of Tibet
section_title: Traditional architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Tibet / Traditional architecture
caption_attribution_description: Monastery ruins, en:Yerpa 1993
context_page_description: Architecture of Tibet contains Chinese and Indian influences but has many unique features brought about by its adaptation to the cold, generally arid, high-altitude climate of the Tibetan plateau. Buildings are generally made from locally available construction materials, and are often embellished with symbols of Tibetan Buddhism. For example, private homes often have Buddhist prayer flags flying from the rooftop.
  Religious structures fall into two main types: temples, which are used for religious ceremonies and worship; and stupas, which are reliquaries and symbols. Temples come in a great variety of styles, generally reflecting local architectural traditions. The design of the Tibetan Chörtens can vary, from roundish walls in Kham to squarish, four-sided walls in Ladakh. In a few regions, especially Danba County, one may see tall and impressive stone towers, many over a century old.
  Secular structures in Tibet include private homes, multi-family dwellings, and shops. Some herding families live in tents for part of the year, although people who live in tents year-round are becoming rare due to government programs to encourage herdsmen to move into permanent housing.
context_section_description: Traditional Kham architecture is seen in most dwellings in Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Although the region has been previously heavily logged, wood is still harvested locally from remaining stands of forest and used for housing. Throughout the region, horizontal timber beams support the roof and are in turn supported by wooden columns. In some areas such as Dêgê County, Baiyü County, and Dawu County, Sichuan, wood is also used to make log-cabin style exterior walls. Home interiors  are sometimes paneled with wood and cabinetry is ornately decorated. Ganzi is known for its beautiful wooden houses  built in  a range of styles and lavishly decorated with wooden ornamentation.  Although various  materials are used in the well-built houses, it is the skillful carpentry that is most striking. Farm houses in Kham are often very spacious although the first (ground) floor is usually used to house farm implements and animals, not for human habitation.  Floors,  ceilings, and room dividers are made of wood. Carpentry skills are passed down from master to apprentice.
  Traditional Tibetan building practices are threatened by the increasing use of concrete, which can be cheaper than natural materials and requires less skill. Traditional homes are regarded by some upwardly mobile Tibetans as backward, and towns and cities are increasingly dominated by apartment buildings.  Earthquakes are also a threat to traditional Tibetan houses, which often contain insufficient horizontal ties to keep the columns and roof stable during a seismic event.
caption: Yerpa monastery ruins
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