Potala Palace

པོ་ཏ་ལ།

The winter palace of the Dalai Lamas atop Red Hill: a 13-story complex of the White Palace and Red Palace, 117 metres tall. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is the symbol of Tibet and the core of any Lhasa trip.

The Potala Palace sits on Red Hill in central Lhasa. Songtsen Gampo began building it in the 7th century to welcome Princess Wencheng. The 5th Dalai Lama rebuilt it in the 17th century, and it became the winter palace of successive Dalai Lamas and the political and religious center of Tibet. The palace consists of the White Palace, which housed the Dalai Lama's living quarters and government offices, and the Red Palace, which contains the stupa halls and shrines of past Dalai Lamas. Built into the mountain, it rises 13 stories to about 117 metres and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994. Highlights include the East Courtyard and the East Sunlight Hall of the White Palace (the Dalai Lama's living room), reached by a zigzag stone stairway from the Wuzi Stele Square. Other highlights are the 5th Dalai Lama's stupa hall, where the reliquary is wrapped in more than 3,700 kg of gold; the Hall of the Three Realms; Dharma King Cave, where Songtsen Gampo meditated in the 7th century; the golden roofs; and the views over Lhasa. Outside the palace are the Potala Palace Square, with the Medicine King Hill viewpoint, which is the vantage point for the back of the 50-yuan banknote, worth visiting both by day and when the lights come on at night, and Zongjiao Lukhang Park, where you can see the palace reflected in the water. Tickets: 200 CNY in peak season (May 1–October 31) and 100 CNY in the off-season. In peak season, you must book a time slot in advance through the official “Potala Palace” WeChat account or website, with real-name registration. Tickets are usually released 1–7 days ahead, and demand during holidays is extremely tight. Once booked, you enter at your scheduled time, and your visit inside is limited to one hour. In the off-season, you can buy tickets on-site. The route is one-way and takes about 1.5–2 hours, with about 100 metres of stair climbing. Transport: the palace is in the city center, served by several bus lines to the Potala Palace stop, and it's about a 20-minute walk to Barkhor Street. Notes: photography is prohibited inside, and liquids and lighters are banned, with strict security checks. Don't climb the palace on your first day in Lhasa; go on the second or third day. If you can't get a ticket, consider the combined palace-and-tour-agency ticket or visit in the off-season. Do not buy tickets from scalpers.

Potala Palace

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