Potala Palace, Lhasa 
View of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Photo by Phil Lai.
Potala Palace stands like a fortress on a rocky hilltop. Photo by Seyerce.
Potala Palace in the sunshine. Photo: Vernon Fowler.
The White Palace. Photo by OnwardTibet.
The Red Palace. Photo by Katie Harris.
Inside the White Palace. Photo by Phil Lai.
A peaceful pair of Tibetan cats in the White Palace. Photo by Phil Lai.
The Potala Palace (Bùdála Gong) in Lhasa was the primary residence of the Dalai Lama until 1959, when the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala after a failed uprising.
Today the Potala Palace is a state museum, a popular tourist attraction, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was also recently named one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" by the American television show Good Morning America and the newspaper USA Today.
History
The hilltop site first hosted the meditation retreat of King Songtsen Gampo, who in 637 built the first palace there in order to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty of China.
Construction of the present palace began in 1645 under the fifth Dalai Lama, Lozang Gyatso. In 1648, the Potrang Karpo (White Palace) was completed, and the Potala was used as a winter palace by the Dalai Lama from that point on. The Potrang Marpo (Red Palace) was added between 1690 and 1694.
What to See
The Potala Palace, with flat roofs at various levels and vast inward-sloping walls broken only by straight rows of many high windows, is like a fortress in appearance.
At the south base of the rock is a large space enclosed by walls and gates, with great porticos on the inner side. A series of tolerably easy staircases, broken by intervals of gentle ascent, leads to the summit of the rock. The whole width of this is occupied by the palace.
The central part of this group of buildings rises in a vast quadrangular mass above its satellites to a great height, terminating in gilt canopies similar to those on the Jokhang. This central section of the Potala is painted a deep red and called the Red Palace.
The Red Palace is the religious center of the complex and contains rich decorative painting, jewelled work, carving and other ornament. It is home to sacred gold stupas (the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas), the monks' assembly hall, numerous chapels and shrines, and libraries for the important Buddhist scriptures, the Kangyur in 108 volumes and the Tengyur with 225.
The White Palace was the living quarters of the Dalai Lama. The first White Palace was built under the fifth Dalai Lama in the 1650s and extended to its present by the thirteenth Dalai Lama in the early 20th century. The White Palace was for secular uses only and contained living quarters, offices, the seminary and the printing house.
A central, yellow-painted courtyard known as a Deyangshar separates the living quarters of the Lama and his monks with the Red Palace, which is completely devoted to religious study and prayer.
The yellow building at the side of the White Palace in the courtyard between the main palaces houses great banners embroidered with holy symbols which hung across the south face of the Potala during New Year festivals.
Quick Facts
| Names: | Bùdála Gong; Potala Palace |
| Type of site: | Tibetan Buddhist monastery |
| Faith: | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Status: | Museum |
| Dates: | Founded 637; present building 17th cent. |
| Location: | Beijing Zhong Lù, Lhasa, Tibet |
| Hours: | 9am-3pm |
| Cost: | ¥70; Relics museum and roof each ¥10 extra |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Potala Palace. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Lhasa Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa - UNESCO World Heritage
- Potala Palace (Bùdála Gong) - Frommer's Attraction Review
- Potala Palace - Travel China Guide
- The Potala Palace - Sacred Sites
- Buddhism in Tibet - BuddhaNet
- Potala Palace - Wikipedia
More Information
- Potala Palace - Tibet Travel
- Potala Palace - Asia on the Matrix - brief description and slide show
