The Potala Palace

The Potala Palace - Chief Residence of the Dalai Lama - 1959

The Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It was the chief residence of the Dalai Lama till the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India during the 1959 Tibetan rebellion. Presently it is a museum and listed as a World Heritage Site.

The Palace has been named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and the 5thDalai Lama began its construction in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisors, Konchog Chophel had indicated that it was an ideal site as a seat of government since it was located between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa.

 Construction of the palace began at the time of Songsten of the Thubet dynasty in the 7th century AD and was rebuilt in mid-17th century by the 5th Dalai Lama during a campaign which lasted for 30 years, reaching its present size after repeated expansion and renovation.

It is located on Red Mountain, 3,700 m above sea level, in the centre of Lhasa valley covering an area of over 130,000 sq. m and stands over 110 m high. The White palace is approached by a winding road that leads to an open square in front of the palace.

Winter Palace Since 7th Century 

The central area is the East Main Hall and most of the ceremonies take place here. The throne of Dalai Lama lies towards the north side of the hall and the walls are covered with paintings portraying religious as well as historic themes while at the top of the White Palace is the personal suite of Dalai Lama.

The building measures around 400 metres east-west and 350 metres north-south with sloping stone wall of 3m thick and 5m thick towards the base together with copper poured into the foundations to protect against earthquakes.

It comprises of 13 storeys of buildings with 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and around 200,000 statues – 117 meters on top of Marpo Ri, the `Red Hill’ which rises more than 300 m, around 1,000 ft. in total above the floor of the valley.

The Potala Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama since the 7th century, symbolizing Tibetan Buddhism. The complex contains the White and Red Palaces having their ancillary buildings built on Red Mountains in the centre of Lhasa Valley, at an altitude of 3,700.

Jokhange Temple Monastery – Buddhist Religious Complex

Besides this, founded in the 7th century, is the exceptional Buddhist religious complex, the Jokhange Temple Monastery. Dalai Lama’s earlier summer palace, Norbulingka, which was constructed in the 18th century, seems to be a masterpiece of Tibetan art.

The beauty together with its originality of the architecture of these three sites and the rich ornamentation as well as harmonious integration in the Potala Palace represents Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet.

 The Red Palace is towards the west of the White Palace and its purpose is to house the stupas having the remains of the Dalai Lama. Towards the west of the Red Palace lies the Namgyel Dratshang, the private monastery of the Dalai Lama.

The other significant components of Potala complex are the squares towards the north and south with its massive palace wall that have been built from rammed earth and stones and pierced by gates on the east, south as well as the west ends.