Lhasa
Lhasa - The Potala Palace
Lhasa means holy land in Tibetan. On the northern bank of Lhasa River, a tributary of Yarlung Zangbo River, it is 3,650 meters above sea level. It is famous for its long history. Lhasa is also famous as a city of sunshine, for its sunshine of more than 3,000 hours a year.
It is the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region and is a political, economic and cultural center of the region. It boasts many historical sites and scenic spots both in its urban areas and outskirts. The Potala Palace and Jokhang, Sera, Gaindan monasteries and Drepung Temple are well known at home and abroad.
Standing on the Red Hill on Beijing C. Road, Lhasa, the Potala Palace is the highest of its kind in the world. The palace was first built in the seventh century and was damaged in the eighth century. In the 17th century, it was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama in three years.
Its 13-story main building is 117 meters high and is composed of the Red and White Palaces, with the red one in the middle. The main building consists of the Hall of Stupas of Dalai Lamas from various historical stages and halls of Buddha. The White Palace is the residence of the Dalai Lamas and place for handling political affairs.
The Potala Palace houses great amounts of rare cultural relics including the Pattra-leaf scripture from India, Bak'gyur and the imperial edicts, golden seals and titles of nobility from the Qing emperors to the Dalai Lamas.
(Open hours: 9:00-12:00 As it opens only for three hours a day, it is better for you to arrive earlier. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, more places are opened to visitors. Admission is 70 yuan, but 50 yuan on Sundays. The admission, for the Golden Summit and the Exhibition of Tibet Cultural Relics is 10 Yuan each. Picture taking inside the halts costs 40-150 yuan)
