Potala Palace

Overview

Rising from the Red Hill in Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the spiritual and political heart of Tibetan Buddhism. This 13-story architectural marvel served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas for over 300 years.

Tibetan Buddhism

The Potala Palace was named after Mount Potalaka, the mythical abode of Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin in Chinese). It served as the chief residence of the Dalai Lama from the 7th century until 1959.

The palace contains over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and 200,000 statues, making it one of the most important religious complexes in the Buddhist world.