Potala Palace at night, Lhasa, Tibet 07 Mar 2017
Posted on 07 Mar 2017
The night scene of Potala Palace in Lhasa city of Tibet.
About this photo
Originally the main residence of the Dalai Lama, Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, is now a museum and World Heritage Site, which you can visit on Insight Guides’ China and Tibet – An Unforgettable Adventure trip. The 14th Dalai Lama fled Tibet in 1959 during the Tibetan uprising and now lives in McLeod Ganj, India.
Construction of Potala Palace started in 1645, commissioned by the 5th Dalai Lama after his spiritual advisor pointed out the site on Marpo Ri (Red Hill) as the perfect place for the seat of government. The building is 400-metres east-west and 350-metres north-south with sloping walls; they start five metres thick at the base tapering to three metres. Its total height is roughly 300-metres from the valley floor.
