Potala Palace

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Overview

Potala Palace was built on the top of Mount Potala, and named after Mount Potalaka. The 5th Dalai Lama started its construction in 1645. The site was ideal as a seat of government. It had included the remains of the early built palaces of “White” and “Red” , which were built by 33th Tibet King of Songtsam Gampo in 637 AD.

Brief

The building measures 400 meters from east to west and 350 meters from north to 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.

According to legend that Lhasa has three main hills representing 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

The Potala Palace was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1994. In 2000 and 2001, Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka were both added to the list as extensions to Potala Palace.

Potala Palace Data

Entrance Fee

High Season: RMB 200.00 per person
Low Season: RMB 100.00 per person

Season defination

High Season: from May 1^st to October 31^st
Low Season: from November 1^st to the next April 30^th

Tips on visit

An early booking on the entrance ticket shall ensure your visit
in high travel season, the visit time is limited within 1 -1 1.5 hours
in Low travel season, there is no time limiting on visit

How to Get There

Potala palace is central located in Lhasa city, it can be reached easily by bus, taxi or even by walk

By Bus
Take Bus No. 8, get off at bus stop “Yang-Wang-Shang-Nong-Mao-Shi-Chang-Stop | 药王山农贸市场站”

By Walk
By foot starting from the east end of Beijing East Road, Potala palace can be reached within 10-15 minutes walk