Potala Palace - Symbolic building of Tibetan Buddhism

Potala Palace is located in Lhasa, which is considered the capital of Tibet. Tibet is a sacred land known to many people. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Potala every year. This work has extremely important historical and religious significance for Tibetans. The outstanding architecture and mysterious stories surrounding this place have attracted many tourists.

Potala Palace has a height of 170 meters and is located at an altitude of 3,600 meters from sea level. The length from east to west is 360 meters. The width along the north - south axis is 270 meters. This structure is considered the most magnificent and massive among the palaces in Tibet.
This work is one of the world's architectural wonders recognized by UNESCO. This place is truly a sacred pilgrimage site worthy of the name World Cultural Heritage. Just set foot in this land once, you will never forget it. You will feel a very strange feeling of sacredness and devotion.

This place was formerly the residence of the Dalai Lamas. But by the 14th Lama, he had to go into exile in Dharamsala, India. Currently, this palace has become the National Museum of China. Potala contains many precious cultural, religious and historical values. Along with that are priceless treasures and many other artistic masterpieces of humanity.

The Potala Palace's construction date was the year 637. It was intended to mark the marriage between King Tung Tan Can Bo and Princess Van Thanh. That palace was almost completely destroyed in the Middle Ages. It was not until the 17th century that it was restored and rebuilt.

The palace was renovated by the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso. However, it took many decades to achieve today's construction. The exterior architecture took 3 years to complete. The interior architecture lasts up to 45 years.

From then on, the Potala Palace became the living and practicing place of the Dalai Lamas. This is a sacred religious place that Tibetans worship very much. People here rarely call Potala by name. They often call it “peak” or “Potala peak”. In 1959, the structure was slightly damaged by a Tibetan uprising.
Potala Palace is divided into 3 parts. That is the palace area in front of the mountain, the palace area at the top of the mountain and the lake area at the back of the mountain. In particular, the palace area includes three gates: east gate, south gate and west gate along with two upstairs floors. The attic is the place that leads to the top of the palace. This is where the serving management agencies are located. Such as book printing institutes, residences of monks and nuns, officials, prisons...

The palace is the center of the Potala palace. It can be said that this is the most important core part of the whole project. There are two main palaces here: the Red Palace and the White Palace. These two works have extremely unique architectural features. Exploring these two locations you will discover many interesting things.
The architecture of the Potala Palace greatly influenced the architecture of many places. Such as Putuo Zongcheng temple, China. This work was inspired by the latter part of the Potala. In India, there is Leh Palace, Ladakh. That work also imitates the architecture of the Potala Palace.

1 Red palace

The Red Palace in the Potala Palace is a religious architectural complex. This is where the mausoleums of the eight previous Dalai Lamas are located. That's why this place is so sacred and important. The reason it is called the Red Palace is because the building has a dark red color. According to Tibetans, it represents power.

This place is made up of soil, stone and wood. In ancient times, there were no means of transportation. So these objects were transported by human power and donkey power. This building has more than 1,000 small rooms, 10,000 Buddha halls and 20,000 sculptures. In the past, Dat Ma would stay in a room near the roof and separate from the people.
Here are towers worshiping the remains of deceased Dalai Lamas. The tower's body is splendidly plated with gold. The tower of the 13th Lama is 21 meters high, made of pure silver. The top is inlaid with gems. On the roof of the Red Palace are 8 towers made of gold. This tower represents the eight Dalai Lamas. Among them is a tower cast with 90,000 taels of gold. The inside of the Potala Palace's Red Palace is richly decorated. This place preserves many carved works, along with many other precious jewelry. The area inside and outside the temple has many Buddha statues, towers, ancient bells, and gold-encrusted mascot statues.

2. White Palace

The White Palace is located surrounding the Red Palace, forming two wings. In the past, this was the residence of Lamas, specializing in serving daily life issues. There are 698 murals and nearly 10,000 scrolls of paintings and sculptures.

Most important is a set of precious historical documents. As its name suggests, the structure is made of stone walls plastered with white clay. The White Palace is considered by Tibetans to be a symbol of peace. The windows are designed in the form of panels facing outward. This helps achieve high efficiency in catching wind and light. The decoration in this area is very solemn and equally splendid.
Cuokin Building is the largest project at Bach Dinh. Here, the Dalai Lamas often use it to perform religious and political rituals. This place also has many Buddhist shrines. Along with that is the scripture printing room and storage library. In the past, the Potala Palace used to be the highest concentration of religious and political power in Tibet.

3. Winter Palace

The Winter Palace plays an important role in the architecture of the Potala Palace. The previous Dalai Lamas were here in the winter. This work is known for its magnificently decorated halls, buildings, and halls. The interior is adorned with exquisite jewelry and many works of art

4 Jokhang Temple

Jokhang Temple is located close to the Potala Palace. This place is known as an extremely sacred temple. This temple is like a spiritual and religious site for the Tibetan people here. This building was built in the 7th century. The architecture of the building possesses typical features of the Himalayan region.

This is also one of the most beautiful and important temples in Tibet. Tibetans often perform rituals and prayers here. So if you visit the Potala Palace, don't miss this place!

5. Norbulingka Summer Palace

The summer palace is also known as the garden palace. This is the place where the Dalai Lamas use to rest. Along with that is running activities that take place in the summer and seeing nature. This palace is located in a highway area with open space. There are beautiful, fresh flower gardens here. The exquisite architecture of the summer palace is what attracts tourists.