Potala Palace

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Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa, Tibet, it is 3,700 meters above sea level and covers 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.
From as early as the eleventh century the palace was called Potala. This name probably
derives from Mt. Potala, the mythological mountain abode of the Bodhisattva Chenresi
in southern India.

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 ancient architectural complex is considered a model of Tibetan architecture.
The site was used as a meditation retreat by King Songtsen Gampo, who in 637 built the
first palace there in order to greet his bride, Princess Wencheng of China's Tang Dynasty.
Lozang Gyatso, the Great Fifth Dalai Lama, started construction of the Potala Palace
in 1645 after one of his spiritual advisers, Konchog Chophel, pointed out that the site
was ideal as a seat of government, situated as it is between Drepung and Sera monasteries
and the old city of Lhasa.
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 Red
Palace includes various chambers for worshipping Buddha and chambers housing the eight
stupa that contain the remains of fifth through thirteenth Dalai Lama. All the stupas are
covered with gold foil. The most magnificent stupa belongs to the fifth Dalai Lama.