Architecture Feature - Potala Palace, Tibet

Potala Palace, Tibet’s most popular attraction is located in the heart of Lhasa. With a rich history that dates back to 637 AD and an architecture that is as profound as it is sound, Potala Palace is the next construction to be highlighted in our Architecture Feature series. Read on, and familiarize yourself with this mystical, sacred monument nestled up in the hills of Tibet:

A highly revered palace which is perched 3700 metres atop the Red Hill in the administrative capital of Tibet – Lhasa, Potala Palace is said to be the highest ancient palace in the world. Originally a palace which was constructed by the founder of the Tibetan Empire called Songsten Gampo, the Potala Palace also remained the seat of the Dalai Lama until 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled to India. Today, the palace is a museum which houses several statues and sacred artefacts, along with religious scriptures and the tombs of eight Dalai Lamas.

Photo Credit: Gunther Hagleitner/Flickr

Spread out over an area of 350*400 metres, Potala Palace is among the biggest palaces in Tibet, and its strong foundation is an important reason why this monument has stood the test of time. The base of the structure comprises stone walls with copper filled into them, in order to make it earthquake proof. The building towers 117 metres above the ground and has a total of 13 storeys in its current form, which house 1000 rooms, and up to 10000 shrines.

Photo Credit: Gunther Hagleitner/Flickr

Potala Palace can broadly be divided into two parts – the Red Palace and the White Palace. The White Palace is the residential wing of Potala Palace reserved for the Dalai Lama, and the Red Palace is the part which houses the museum, along with four chapels for prayer and meditation, a library for religious studies and the tombs. Important attractions in Potala Palace include five golden Stupas at the West Chapel, statues of Snow Lions at the entrance of the palace, shrines of Buddha across the museum and the tombs of Dalai Lamas.

Photo Credit: Steve Hicks/Flickr

From its wooden roofs to the huge walls and interiors which are engraved with religious texts from Buddhism, everything about Potala Palace is typically Tibetan and it is one of the best ways to experience Buddhist culture and traditions in Tibet. Apart from being an important attraction for architecture enthusiasts, Potala Palace is also popular among those who wish to gain an insight on Buddhism and explore Tibet’s rich art collections. Being located at a high altitude, it also offers breathtakingly beautiful views of the underlying city of Lhasa, along with panoramic views of the great Himalayan range.

Visit PropTiger.com to read about other fascinating structures all over the world.