The Potala Palace
The Potala Palace Overview
Chinese Name: 布达拉宫 English IPA: Bùdálā Gōng Location: central Lhasa, 2 km north of the Lhasa river, 5 km south of Sera Monastery, 3 km east of Norbulingka, and 2 km west of Jokhang Temple Population (city): Unknown Language: Tibetan language and mandarin Chinese Zip code: 850000 Tel code: 0891 Time zone: (UTC+8)
This amazing palace has the honor of being the highest ancient palace in the world, with its highest point reaching 3,750 meters (12,300 feet) above sea level, towering 100 meters (300 feet) above the city of Lhasa. It was built as the center of Tibetan government by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645. This 13-stories-high palace has over 1,000 rooms, and covers over 13 hectares (32 acres). The stone walls measure 3 meters (10 feet) thick on average.
Highlights
· The Red Palace: The Red Palace is the higher of the two palaces, and is made up of several chapels.
· The White Palace: The White Palace was home to ten successive Dalai Lamas and their courts.
· The Golden Roof Group: The golden roof group is a unique view of the Potala Palace.
· Inside the Potala Palace: Statues of Buddha, murals, and antiques that are centuries old, and incredible works of art grace every area of this mountaintop palace.
Other Destinations in The Potala Palace
The Potala Palace Attractions
The Potala Palace has stood for centuries as a testament to the Tibetan people and their beliefs. Thousands of pilgrims from around the world come every year to pay homage to this grand estate and the symbol it stands for. Considered to be one of the wonders of the world for its physical structure and its importance in Tibetan history, the Potala Palace is admired by all who visit. The general structure of the Potala Palace is in two parts: [...]
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The Potala Palace Tours
Considered to be one of the wonders of the world for its physical structure and its importance in Tibetan history, the Potala Palace is admired by all who visit. So it's the highlight of any Lhasa Tour or Tibet tour that cannot be missed. As the Top Tibet tour operator, MysteriousTibet promises to present the ultimate travel experience to world-wide tourists via a galaxy of carefully-engineered tour products. You can find below the One Day Lhasa Tour, 4 Days Lhasa City Highlights [...]
Climate & When to Go
Due to its very high elevation, Lhasa has a monsoon-influenced warm-summer humid continental climate that very closely borders a cool semi-arid climate and a subtropical highland climate, with very dry, frosty winters and wet, warm summers, yet the valley location protects the city from intense cold or heat and strong winds. Monthly possible sunshine ranges from 53 percent in July to 84 percent in November, and the city receives nearly 3,000 hours of sunlight annually. It is thus sometimes called [...]
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Transportation
By connecting many domestic cities, including Chamdo, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xian, Guangzhou and more, taking flight to Lhasa Gonggar Airport is the first choice to arrive in Lhasa. Besides the airline, you can take the Qinghai-Lhasa Railway to the Lhasa Railway Station. Located in the northern of Lhasa, adjacent to Jokhang Temple with 1.6 km and 1.5 km away from Barkhor Street, Potala Palace is mostly chosen for the first attraction of your Tibet Travel, and you can easily [...]
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Festivals and Activities
There are many different Tibetan festivals and events. Tibetan New Year, the Shoton Festival and the Thangka Festival, when a giant Buddha painting is unfurled, are the highlights. Other festivals are associated with Buddhist monasteries and local traditions and customs. This is a grand Dance Festival held at Potala Palace, here we introduce it for you. Tiaoshen Festival On the 29th day of December in the Tibetan calendar, there is a grand Dance festival held at the Potala Palace in Lhasa. At this time, most of the [...]
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Travel Tips
Potala Palace, the world highest palace, is the most famous attraction in Tibet, even in the world. Here we list some tips for travelers who plan to have a Potala Palace trip. Sightseeing Tips in Potala Palace Trip Sightseeing Time Sightseeing time inside Potala Palace is within 1 hour. From the time you enter into White Palace. Inside, the attraction director will lead you to have a moving sightseeing trip. St. Kuanyin Hall, Fawang Cave, Xiyoujiyuanman Hall, 5th Dalai Pagoda will be important [...]
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Useful Maps
Maps are important for people to visit somewhere, here are some maps for you to visit Potala Palace easily. The map of the Potala Palace in Lhasa shows the layout of the Potala Palace with nearby roads, palaces and hilltops and paths, highlighting the main buildings of the Potala Palace and its affiliated buildings, including Tibetan local government buildings Marjikang and Xoililekong. It is useful for your Potala Palace travel. [...]
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The Potala Palace Accommodation
Potala Palace is located on the mountain of northwest Tibet Lhasa, and near to another two famous attractions of Lhasa: Jokhang Temple and Barkhor street. In each travel destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location! Here we have chosen some best hotels near Potala Palace ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast [...]
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