Unusual Places: The Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet

The Potala Palace sits atop the Red Hill of Lhasa, Tibet. Lhasa is the birthplace of Tibetan Buddhism and home of the Dalai Lama himself. The beautifully complex palace was rebuilt under the fifth Dalai Lama in 1645 after it was struck by lightning and battered by war. Today, The Potala Palace is open to visitors.

 It is comprised of two main sections, the Red Palace and the White Palace. The Red Palace is lined with the stories of various Buddhists.  Its red color signifies dignity and power. It consists of a complicated layout of different halls, chapels and libraries on many levels with an array of smaller galleries and winding passages: The Great West Hall, Dharma Cave, The Saint's Chapel, The Tomb of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. The 7,804 sq ft Great West Hall is the largest hall of Potala Palace, with beautiful murals painted on its inner walls. Around the Great West Hall are three chapels, the east chapel, the north chapel as well as the south chapel. The Dharma Cave and the Saint's Chapel are the only two remained constructions of the 7th century with the statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng, and Princess Bhrikuti inside.

The white colored palace signifies calmness and peace. The White Palace or Potrang Karpo once served as the office building of Tibet local government makes up the living quarters of Dalai Lama. The Great East Hall on the fourth floor, occupying a space of about 7,718 sq ft, was the site for momentous religious and political events. The fifth and sixth floors are used as the living quarters and offices of regents while the seventh floor, the top one, was the living quarters of Dalai Lama consisting of two parts named the East Chamber of Sunshine and the West Chamber of Sunshine due to the plentiful sunshine.

Potala Palace has other annexes including the School of Buddhist Logic, the seminary, the printing House, gardens, courtyards and even the jail. For more than 300 years, It has treasured many culture relics such as murals, stupas, statues, thangkas, and rare sutras.

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