Tibet

The Land of Snows, the roof of the world, for centuries the mysterious Buddhist kingdom of Tibet, locked away in its mountain fastness of the Himalaya, has exercised a unique hold on the imagination of the West. For explorers and traders it was a forbidden land of treasures.  

When the doors were finally open in the mid-1980s, Tibet was in ruins. Between 1950 and 1970, the Chinese invaded and occupied Tibet, drove their spiritual leader and some 100.000 Tibetans into exile and destroyed most of the Tibetan cultural and historical heritage. Luckily many objects were carried out by refugees, which contributed to the preservation of Tibet's artistic and religious heritage.  

It was not until the pioneering studies of Giuseppe Tucci, beginning in the 1930s, that Western scholarship began to treat the subject of Tibetan art in its cultural context.  

For travellers Tibet is without any doubt one of the most remarkable places to visit in Asia. It offers fabulous monastery sights, breathtaking high-altitude treks, stunning views of the world's highest mountains. 

Almost all Tibetan art is inspired by Buddhism, wall hangings, paintings, sculptures, architecture, literature, even dance. At the same time Tibetan art and religion have influenced neighboring areas of Buddhist Asia, Central Asia, China and Nepal.