Potala Palace
About Potala Palace
Once the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama, fled, Potala Palace now operates as a museum.
Potala Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and features an impressive 13 stories of buildings with over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and over 200,000 statues. The complex sprawls over 130,000 square metres. Potala Palace is thought to have been named after Mt. Potala, a mythological mountain in southern India, though it is actually perched atop a real hill - Marpo Ri hill.
Once the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama, fled, Potala Palace now operates as a museum.
Potala Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and features an impressive 13 stories of buildings with over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and over 200,000 statues. The complex sprawls over 130,000 square metres. Potala Palace is thought to have been named after Mt. Potala, a mythological mountain in southern India, though it is actually perched atop a real hill - Marpo Ri hill.
Potala Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and features an impressive 13 stories of buildings with over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and over 200,000 statues. The complex sprawls over 130,000 square metres. Potala Palace is thought to have been named after Mt. Potala, a mythological mountain in southern India, though it is actually perched atop a real hill - Marpo Ri hill.
Once the chief residence of the Dalai Lama until the 14th Dalai Lama, fled, Potala Palace now operates as a museum.
Potala Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and features an impressive 13 stories of buildings with over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and over 200,000 statues. The complex sprawls over 130,000 square metres. Potala Palace is thought to have been named after Mt. Potala, a mythological mountain in southern India, though it is actually perched atop a real hill - Marpo Ri hill.
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Situated on a hill above Lhasa Valley.
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First To Review:
Oct 25, 2008
Take your time to absorb all the detail. There are all the tombs of the Dalai Lamas plus a lot of murals which tell stories about the life of Buddha, many holy statues and the 3D Kalachakra Mandala is very special. Make some yak butter offerings in behalf of the Dalai Lama and all Tibetan refugees while you're there!
Jul 4, 2009
The Potala Palace is justifiably famous. This enormous white and red edifice perched above Lhasa is extraordinary in dimension and ornamentation. Although only a tiny portion of it is open to the public and viewing time is strictly limited (our guide told us if we overstayed our one hour limit he would lose entrance tickets for the next 10-15 people he'd booked visits for) it is genuinely magnificent. Obviously not to be missed if you are in Tibet.
Sep 5, 2008
Being the ancient palace of Lhasa, it raises beautifully on the skyline of Lhasa. You cannot take any pictures at the insight though, as in so many monasteries in Tibet. Except if you pay of course...:o(( But the memory of just being there and seeing it all and imagining Brad Pitt walking around there is worth climbing up all those steps!! Just don't let all the Chinese tourists get t o you and marvel your way through the many halls...You will like it for shure!
Oct 18, 2008
A must see! All the stairs are worth it. An amazing spiritual place. This is more than a place to see, it is a place to experience. Tip though - Must buy your tickets for entry the day before or you won't get in. The Chinese limit the number of tickets available for each day. Ticket booth is past the Potala Palace where everyone exits from.
Mar 16, 2010
A visit to the magnificent Potala is both sad and very interesting at the same time.
Sad because the original owner (The dalai lama) has been banned by the Chinese and can probably never return to his home, and interesting because it allows you a unique look at one of the most holliest places of Tibetan Buddhism.
Note that the Chinese change the rules for visiting The Potala every now and then.
At our time of visit (september 2008) regulations were very strict; we had to have a special entrance pass arranged at least 1 week in advance by your guide, we were only allowed to stay 1 hour, we could not take any water with us and were not allowed to take any photographs inside. Also your luggage will be screened on entry, just like at an airport with an x-ray scanner.
Sad because the original owner (The dalai lama) has been banned by the Chinese and can probably never return to his home, and interesting because it allows you a unique look at one of the most holliest places of Tibetan Buddhism.
Note that the Chinese change the rules for visiting The Potala every now and then.
At our time of visit (september 2008) regulations were very strict; we had to have a special entrance pass arranged at least 1 week in advance by your guide, we were only allowed to stay 1 hour, we could not take any water with us and were not allowed to take any photographs inside. Also your luggage will be screened on entry, just like at an airport with an x-ray scanner.
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