Potala Palace Where the Dream Exists
Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, Tibet, Potala Palace is 3,700 meters above sea level, the highest palace in the world. And you need to climb up 170 meters' steps, not easy to visit it. Some physical forces are needed.
Covering an area of over 360,000 square meters, measuring 360 meters from east to west and 270 meters from south to north. The palace has 13 stories, and is 117 meters high. In 641, Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, had the Potala Palace built for Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty, whom he was soon to marry.
This structure was later burned to the ground during a war and was rebuilt in the 17th century by the Fifth Dalai Lama. Repeated repairs and expansions until 1645 finally brought the palace to its present scale. Over the past three centuries, the palace gradually became a place where the Dalai Lama lived and worked and a place for keeping the remains of successive Dalai Lama.
White Palace
The stone-and-wood-structured Potala Palace consists of the White Palace and Red Palace. The White Palace, comprising halls, temples and courtyards, serves as the living quarters of the Dalai Lama.
The Sunlight Hall (Riguangdian) where the Dalai Lama lived is in the White Palace. The ceilings and walls are richly decorated. The chambers include the prayer hall, the guest room, the living room and the bedroom. In the centre of the prayer hall stands Dalai's throne. Here the Dalai Lama received Buddhist priests and government officials to conduct religious and government affairs.
Red Palace
The Red Palace includes various chambers for worshipping Buddha and chambers housing the eight stupa that contain the remains of fifth through thirteenth Dalai Lama. When the Dalai Lama died, the body was given antiseptic treatment. Then it is settled in seated position in a stupa to be worshipped.
All the stupas are covered with gold foil. The biggest and most magnificent stupa belongs to the fifth Dalai Lama. It is 14.85 meters tall and inlaid with many kinds of pearl and jade. The palace also collected a large number of sculptures, murals, scripture and other valuable cultural relics.
There are numerous halls in the Red Palace in which are enshrined a great number of Buddhist statues. The one, the Buddha of Longevity (Wuliang-shoufo ) in the Halls, is remarkable for excellent workmanship. Pious Buddhists come here in great numbers everyday to pay homage to Buddha.
Potala Palace Ticket
It is not a easy visit especially for the old and disabled. Altitude of 3,700m is not a joke. Have a good rest before your arrival in Lhasa, drink more water and don't do any activities upon arrival to ensure you have acclimatized.
Entrance fee of Potala Palace is 100RMB in CNY. It is open from 09:00 a.m to 19:00 p.m everyday. But that's only for the off season from November to April.
Although the best time to visit Tibet is from May to October, only 2,300 tourists and pilgrims are allowed to enter each day. Sometimes, even if you paid tenfold to the scalpers, it's impossible to get one ticket especially in August.
DOs and DON'Ts in Potala Palace
The halls are always chilly either in hot summer or cool winter. To wear warm clothes to visit is not a bad idea.
If you travel in Lhasa in off season, you would like to reserve three hours for visit, one and half an hour to climb up and down the steps, and one and half an hour to visit inside.
But in peak season, can only be allowed to visit within one hour since the visiting time and number of tourists are confined to protect this old palace.
Walk clockwise around; Don't step on the doorsill; Don't smoke in the halls; Don't take photos inside... Respect the local custom, and do it
By the way, people from Taiwan are required to show Tibet Permit for Taiwanese, and people from aroad need to require Tibet Travel Permit
