Potala Palace was built on the top of Mount Potalaka, and named after Mount Potalaka. The 5th Dalai Lama started its construction in 1645. The site was ideal as a seat of government, situated as well for that it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries and the old city of Lhasa.
Brief
Potala Palace had included the remains of the early built palaces of “White” and “Red” Palace which was built by 33rd Tibet King of Songtsam Gampo in 637.
The building measures 400 meters east-west and 350 meters north-south, with sloping stone walls averaging 3 meters thick, and 5 meters at the base. With copper poured into the foundations to help proof it against earthquakes. There are total 13 stories of the entire palace, including 999 rooms, 12,000 shrines and about 220,000 statues.
Three Protectors of Tibet
According to legend that Lhasa has three main hills that represent the “Three Protectors of Tibet” which are:
- Chokpori, just to the south of the Potala, is the soul-mountain of Vajrapani
- Pongwari that of Manjusri
- Marpori, the hill on which the Potala stands, represents Avalokitesvara
UNESCO World Heritage
Potala Palace was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 2000 and 2001, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka were added to the list as extensions to Potala Palace.
Potala Palace Data
Address & Contact
Add : No. 35, Beijing Middle Road, Cheng Guan District
Contact : +86 0891 6822896
Opening hour & Website
Web : http://www.potalapalace.cn/
09:30am – 17:00pm
Altitude
3,650 meters
Entrance fee
High travel Season: RMB 200.00 per person
Low travel Season: RMB 100.00 per person
High travel Season – May 1st – October 31st
Low travel Season – November 1st to the next April 30th
How to get to there
The palace is central located in Lhasa city, it can be reached easily by bus, taxi or even by walk
By bus
To take line 8, get off at bus stop “Yang-Wang-Shang-Nong-Mao-Shi-Chang-Stop”
By foot
Starting from Beijing East Road, it can be reached within 10-15 minutes wal
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