The Ramoche Temple is the sister temple to the Jokhang Temple in the northeastern part of the city. Although it was built in the 7th century at the same time as the Jokhang, the Ramoche has been extensively renovated since then, and has fewer structural elements which date to the time of its original construction.
The temple was built in honor of Songsten Gampo's bride, the Chinese Princess Wencheng. For this reason the original building complex was strongly influenced by Tang Dynasty
architecture, as it was built by Han Chinese architects under the direction of Princess Wencheng, who ordered the temple to be erected facing east towards her homeland. The temple's most prized artifact is the Jowo Mikyo Dorje, an image of the Sakyamuni at the age of eight. This was the dowry gift of the Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti, and was first housed in the Jokhang Temple. After Songsten Gampo's death, it was transferred to the Ramoche, and Wencheng's gift – the Jowo Sakyamuni – was moved from the Ramoche to the Jokhang.
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