In the course of time Tibet has developed a number of unique styles of local architecture, examples of which dot the towns and countryside in profusion. Flat-roofed Tibetan houses are usually built of sun dried bricks and stone, while monasteries and the former estates of the nobility are fortified by high perimeter walls. A brief introduction to the major architectural styles follows.

Simple Dwelling

The simplest dwellings are the single-storied houses of ordinary people. Built out of stone and sun-dried bricks, the beams and rafters of these simple structures are placed flat across the walls and covered with mortar. The roof is leveled with a kind of local concrete call arka stone. The family usually lives in the inner rooms while the livestock are kept in the outer yard.

Houses

Built on a stone foundation, these brick houses are usually two-stories. The upper floor serves as living quarters, while the ground floor houses the kitchen, storage space and livestock.

Mansions

In the past the nobility, feudal landlords and wealthy merchants lived in stone-walled mansions of three to five stories. Inside the mansion, each room contained numerous wooden pillars, with approximately one pillar every four square meters. The square rafters were covered by planks which served as a ceiling. An additional feature was that second and third floor rooms which faced the sun were fitted with full-length windows. The rooms were not heated in winter, but the rooftop terrace served as a place to lay things out in the sun, take a stroll and to admire the view. Mansions were fortified with a two-foot thick perimeter wall enclosing a courtyard and could be defended in battle. Most of the windows were mere slits to keep out the wind and cold. The family usually lived in the upper stores, and the ground floor was used for storage. Tibetan mansions are notable for their beautifully carved beams and brackets.

Monasteries

Huge in size and sumptuously decorated, monasteries exhibit the most typical Tibetan architectural style. Monasteries are built around a Central Assembly Hall which towers majestically above the other buildings. Dazzling golden roofs and clustered buildings create a magnificent sight, like that of a city. As for the interior of the monastery, beautiful murals, corridors threading through statuesque pillars, exquisitely carved and painted beams and brackets produce an effect of unusual magnificence.

Tents

The homes of nomads throughout Tibet, tents are made out of a coarse yak wool tweed, shaped and stitched into a rectangular tent. After erecting the central tent pole, the four corners of the tent are pegged out taut, and a three-sided, low wall of sods and yak dung built around it. During the day the entrance flap is tied up for ease of entry, and let down when evening falls and fastened by a rope. Inside the tent at the center stands a clay oven situated directly under the ventilation opening, the size of which can be controlled by ropes. The coarse thick tweed of the tents can withstand fierce winds, rain and snow, and the simple structures are easy to erect and dismantle when shifting from pasture to pasture. Nowadays, the elderly and young children spend the winter in permanent dwellings built out of clay and wood similar to those in rural areas.