The Potala Palace is the highest ancient castle in the world, located at an altitude of 3767 meters. The Potala Palace is a huge Buddhist temple complex, occupying 360 thousand m 2 and consisting of two parts: the Red Palace, as the center, and the White Palace, like two wings. The height of the palace is 115 meters - these are 13 floors.Potala was the main residence of the Tibetan Dalai Lama for several centuries.Now this sacred place attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists. Located on the Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa, the Potala is the largest monumental structure in all of Tibet, the ancient palace of the world. The word Potala itself means “Mystical Mountain”.
Once within the walls of this huge palace, surrounded by silence and tranquility, the religious ruler of Tibet sat. The centuries-old calm was broken in 1959 by the invasion of Chinese troops into Tibet, as a result of which the Dalai Lama XIV was forced to leave the country and received political asylum in India, where he remains to this day.
The first building on the site of the current palace was built in 637 by the king of Tibet. Songtsen Gampo, who decided to build a small palace over the Fa-Wan cave where he used to meditate. After some time, the king came up with the idea of making Lhasa the capital, so a large palace was erected on the site of the old building, which expanded significantly after Songtsen Gampo became engaged to the Chinese princess Wen Cheng.- by order of the king, the palace building was expanded to 999 rooms, and high walls with towers were erected around it and a bypass channel was dug.
Unfortunately, since almost everything in those days was built of wood, the palace, which was no exception, could not survive a severe thunderstorm in the second half of the 8th century, during which lightning struck it, and the fire that started burned all the wooden buildings. What was left of the palace was finally razed to the ground by internecine wars - only Pabalakan Hall and Fa-Vana Cave have survived to this day..
The Potala Palace, which we see today, began to be built only in 1645, during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama. By 1648, the White Palace was built. Red Palace, added in 1694. More than 7,000 workers and 1,500 artists and artisans worked on its construction. In 1922, the 13th Dalai Lama renovated many of the chapels and halls in the White Building and made changes to the Red Building.
After the completion of the White Palace in 1648, the winter residence of the Dalai Lama was placed here. In the Solar Pavilion of the White Palace, the ruler lived and worked, and in the Great Eastern Pavilion he received guests and held solemn ceremonies. The white walls symbolize peace and tranquility. The walls of the hall are decorated with beautiful frescoes and paintings. There is also a statue of the Potala, the most respected artifact that attracts thousands of Tibetan tourists. It is completely covered with gold leaf with a total weight of 550 kg. and encrusted with tens of thousands of precious stones. The rest of the burial stupas, being much smaller in size, are also decorated with a huge amount of gold and jewels.
Great East Hall on the fourth floor with an area of 725 sq.m. was the site of important religious and political ceremonies.Three chapels surround it on three sides: in the east, in the north and in the south. The Dharma Caves and the holy chapel are the only 7th-century buildings with statues of Songtsen Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng and Princess Bhrikuti still standing inside.
The heart of the complex is the Red Building (which was built from 1690 to 1694) - the highest part in the center. This part is entirely devoted to religious education and Buddhist prayers. The building consists of many halls, chapels and libraries on several levels with galleries and winding corridors. Richly decorated with paintings, gems and carvings, it contains several temples and tombs of eight past Dalai Lamas, including pagodas of 200,000 pearls.
The Potala Palace occupies the entire hill on which it is located. The majesty of the huge building, stretching over the entire hill, still amazes both travelers and tourists, as well as the Buddhists and pilgrims themselves.
Innumerable treasures are stored in many halls, there are stupas of the Dalai Lamas and many high teachers, many buddhas and deities. Volumetric tantric mandalas are especially impressive.:
Samvara Mandala
Guhyasamaja Mandala
Yamantaka Mandala
Kalachakra Mandala
In the Potala there are schools of Buddhist logic, a seminary, a printing house, gardens, courtyards, and even a prison. For over 300 years, the ancient palace has kept many cultural relics such as frescoes, stupas, statues, tanka and rare sutras. Of particular importance is the Fa-Wana cave, in which, even before the construction of the building, King Songtsen Gampo read the sacred texts.
In 1994, the Potala Palace was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Today, the complex is visited daily by thousands of Tibetan pilgrims and travelers from all over the world.
This is what the Potala looks like at night
The Potala Palace appears first in the list of the most important cultural and historical monuments of Tibet, protected by the state. The Potala is a palace-castle unique in the world in terms of its high-altitude location and size; its image is the emblem of Lhasa and all of Tibet. The Potala Palace is an imperishable and magnificent monument of ancient Tibetan architecture. In December 1994, the Potala Palace was officially inscribed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
The Potala Palace is built on the southern slope of the Red Mountain in the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. The back side of the Potala Palace rests on the slope of the mountain, has a trapezoid shape, tapering at the top, against the background of the blue sky and white clouds of Tibet, the palace, painted in white and red, looks like a majestic, fabulous castle.
What does the name of the Potala Palace mean? In Tibetan, "potala" is translated as "the dwelling place of Avalokiteshvara", in India "potalaka". And the mountain on which the Potala Palace is located is called Puto in religious literature, and is considered sacred because, according to legend, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara appeared on this mountain. Interestingly, in Zhejiang Province of China, there is a second Mount Putuo (普陀山, Putuoshan), which is sacred for the same reason.
The Potala Palace is 119 meters high from its base, 350 meters long from east to west, 270 meters wide from north to south, has a construction area of 130,000 square meters, and together with the forecourt and the pond behind the palace, the total area of the Potala palace complex is 360 thousand square meters!
The beginning of the construction of the Potala Palace dates back to the 30s of the 7th century AD. According to historical sources, the Tufan leader Srontszangampo decided to make Lhasa his capital. First of all, he ordered the construction of a royal palace on the top of the Red Mountain in Lhasa, where his meditation caves already existed. After her betrothal to the Tang princess Wencheng took place and Wencheng arrived in Tibet, Srontszangampo built 999 rooms on Red Mountain. Together with the palace built earlier, a complex of a thousand rooms turned out! In addition, a wall with a length of 500 meters on each side was erected around. There were 4 gates decorated with turrets in the wall, and a bypass channel was dug. Unfortunately, in the second half of the 8th century, due to a lightning strike, the wooden buildings of the Potala Palace burned down. In addition, at the end of the existence of the Tufan kingdom, an internecine war of local tribes broke out, which led to the destruction of the original Potala palace. Only the Fawan Cave and the Pabalakan Hall have survived.
The Potala Palace that we see today was built over several centuries, starting from the 17th century. Dalai Lama 5th Agwan Lobsan Jamtso, in 1645 gave the order to restore the destroyed Potala Palace. In 1652 Dalai V made a trip to Beijing. Upon his return to Tibet, the Dalai 5th moved from his former abode, the Drapung Monastery, to the White Palace of the Potala, which had been completed by that time. Interestingly, after the reincarnation of the 5th Dalai Lama, no one dared to inform the people about this, as the rulers were afraid that the people would rebel and stop working on the construction of the Potala Palace. The power of the 5th Dalai Lama was so strong that his reincarnation was hidden for more than 10 years in order to complete the construction of the palace.
In 1690, in the 8th year after the death of Dalai 5th Disa Sanjie Jamtso, in the name of the 5th Dalai Lama, undertook the construction of the Red Palace and memorial stupas in the Potala complex, for which part of the dilapidated buildings were demolished. 7,000 craftsmen and workers were employed in the work, 2,134,000 liangs (1 liang = 150 grams) of silver were spent, by order of the Qing Emperor Kangxi, 114 Han and Manchu masters were sent for construction, Nepalese masters also took part in the work. In 1693, the work was completed, and on the 20th day of the 4th month according to the Tibetan calendar, the consecration of the Red Palace took place. A memorial pillar was erected in front of the facade of the Potala Palace in memory of the completion of construction. Since then, there have been no major changes in the layout of the Potala Palace.
When you enter the gates of the palace from the square in front of the Potala Palace, you find yourself inside a courtyard, fenced on three sides by a high wall. Directly to the north is a wide stone staircase. From here you can see the east entrance and the west entrance. The main one is the eastern entrance (in Tibetan “pintsodolan”). Entering it and passing a dark stepped corridor, you find yourself in Deyangxia. This is a flat area of 1600 square meters at the entrance to the White Palace. Here theatrical performances were arranged for the Dalai Lama, high clergy and officials. There are galleries on the southern and northern sides of the site, rooms on the eastern and western sides served as classrooms for titled monks. And the entrance, directly facing the west, is the main entrance to the White Palace of the Potala.
White Palace Potala
The White Palace of the Potala is located to the east of the Red Palace, in the White Palace there is the Great Eastern Pavilion, the Solar Pavilion, the living quarters of the regent and mentors of Dalai, and government offices.
Great Eastern Pavilion(in Tibetan "Tsotsinsha") - the largest pavilion of the White Palace. Important events of a political and religious nature were held here, in particular, the enthronement ceremonies of the Dalai Lamas. In the center of the pavilion, against the northern wall, is the Dalai Lama's throne. There are many murals on the walls of the pavilion, two groups of murals are of particular interest: the murals on the theme of "turning a monkey into a man" and the murals telling the story of Princess Jincheng.
solar pavilion located at the top of the Great Eastern Pavilion. There are two solar pavilions: east and west. They served as living quarters for the Dalai Lamas. The Western Solar Pavilion was built in the late years of the 13th Dalai Lama. Most of the year (summer and autumn) the Dalai Lama spent in the summer residence of Norbulingka, and the Potala Palace served as his winter Palace.
It was in this pavilion that the Dalai Lama spent his time reading sacred texts, administrative affairs, and vital functions. The western sun pavilion was the living quarters of the Dalai Lama on the 13th, and the eastern sun pavilion was the quarters of the Dalai Lama on the 14th. The pavilion houses a golden Buddha statue, a jasper figure of Avalokiteshvara, scrolls of sacred sutras, porcelain, a tea set made of gold and jasper, brocade blankets, and more.
Red Palace Potala
The Red Palace served as a place of prayers in the name of Buddha and other places of worship. The main premises of the Red Palace are pavilions with memorial stupas of the Dalai Lamas and places of worship for other purposes. In total, there are 8 memorial stupas in the Red Palace of the Potala, of which the most luxurious are the stupas of the Dalai Lama on the 5th and the Dalai Lama on the 13th. The size and splendor of the design of the stupa symbolizes the contribution to the development of the country and society made by this Dalai Lama. In addition, the Red Palace of the Potala houses numerous cult monuments and skillful products made of precious stones and metals, skillfully made carvings, rare editions of sacred texts, as well as sculptures of Buddhist saints, “tanka” icons, cult attributes, sacrificial accessories, and so on. In the fresco gallery on the fifth floor of the Red Potala Palace there is a whole group of frescoes reproducing episodes of the construction of the Potala Palace.
Stupa of the Dalai Lama on the 5th occupies the 4th floor, but it itself is equal in height to a 5-storey building! At 14.85 meters high, this stupa is made of solid gold and is the tallest of the stupas in the Potala Palace. They say that the decoration and contents of this stupa equals half of the wealth of all mankind.
The second highest stupa is Stupa of the Dalai Lama on the 13th. The beginning of the construction of the stupa dates back to 1934, it took 3 years to build. The height of the stupa is 14 meters, on the inner wall of the pavilion there is a fresco dedicated to the life of the 13th Dalai Lama, including an episode of the Dalai Lama's trip to Beijing, where he was received by Emperor Guangxu and Dowager Empress Cixi.
West Great Hall(in Tibetan "Sysipintso") is located to the east of the pavilions with stupas, its area is 680 square meters. This is the most spacious hall of the Red Palace in the entire Potala Palace. In this hall, the 5th Dalai Lama held receptions, sacrifices and so on. In the western hall there is also a pair of brocade panels woven from gold threads, which were donated by the Chinese emperor in 1696 on the occasion of the completion of the construction of the Red Palace of the Potala. There is also a banner presented by Emperor Qianlong with the emperor's autograph and the inscription "A place exuding paradise." This banner is above the throne of the Dalai Lama.
In the highest pavilion of the Red Palace of the Potala, in the hall near the western wall, statue of the eleven-faced and thousand-armed bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, which was made of pure gold and silver by order of the 13th Dalai Lama.
Of the earliest buildings of the Potala Palace, only the Fawan Cave (“Jujiezhupu”) and the Pabalakan Pavilion have survived. Fawan Cave with an area of 27 square meters, it is distinguished by its modest decoration. According to legend, the Tufan king Srontszamgambo himself comprehended the sacred texts in this cave. In the cave there are statues of Srontszangambo, Princess Wencheng, Princess Chizul, Ludongzang - persons known from the time of the Tufan Kingdom. In addition, utensils (hearth, stone vat, stupa), which, according to legend, were used by Srontszangambo, have been preserved. Pavilion Pabalakan also called the pavilion of Avalokiteshvara, it is located above the cave of Favana.
The pavilions with the stupas of the Dalai Lamas on the 7th, 8th, 9th, as well as the pavilions with the stupas of the Dalai Lama on the 5th and 13th have roofs completely covered with gilding. The same golden roofs crown the Pabalakan and Ramlakan pavilions. Together they form a brilliant ensemble of golden roofs. Most roofs have the traditional shape of Chinese roofs with soaring corners. On the ridges of the roofs there are decorations in the form of bell-shaped monasteries, which rest on lotus pedestals. The soaring corner structures of the roofs are decorated with figurines of mythical Buddhist animals.
The Potala Palace is a treasure trove of priceless pieces of art and art, as well as historical monuments. Even for frescoes, dyes made from precious metals and stones were used. These frescoes amaze with brightness and freshness. About 10,000 “tanka” icons are kept in the Potala Palace, most of which were made by prominent artists of antiquity. A rich collection of editions of sacred texts, many of which are made at a high artistic level and are worthy of being considered a work of art. Not a few publications are unique. There are about 100 canon scrolls made on palm leaves and brought from ancient India and other places. The earliest text on palm leaves dates back more than one millennium. The technique of publishing sacred texts includes handwriting in gold and silver ink, applying a gold coating to the text in raised type. For example, there is an edition of "Ganchzhur", made with dyes made from gold, pearls, silver, corals, iron powder, copper dust and sea shells. The paper on which the text is written is resistant to moisture, decay and damage by insects, durable and at the same time elastic.
The Potala Palace is a great creation of the Tibetan people and the center of their culture. It embodies the achievements of the Tibetans in architecture, sculpture, painting, metalworking and other fields of science and art. It can be called a museum of science and culture of Ancient Tibet. In addition, the Potala Palace captured the history of economic and cultural contacts of Tibetans with other nationalities of China, Nepal and India. The Potala Palace is the pride of the Tibetan people and the world cultural heritage of all mankind. Also, the palace is very often seen by foreigners who went on a tour of Tibet.
Tibet is home to one of the most beautiful Buddhist palaces in the world, the Potala. The building got its name in the 11th century. In 1994, the Potala Temple was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is located at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters. The Potala Temple is the official winter representation of the Dalai Lama. It was here that all the ceremonies, meetings with the Tibetan government were held. Currently, a lot of tourists from around the world come here to see with their own eyes all the beauty and power of the Tibetan temple, to get acquainted with rare exhibits.
History of the Potala
This beautiful temple complex is located in the picturesque Lhasa Valley on Mount Marpo Ri. In Tibet, it is one of the tallest monumental structures. According to a mythical legend, Songtsen Gempo (a Tibetan ruler in the 7th century AD) meditated in a cave on Mount Marpo Ri. Later, he decided to build a temple complex on the hill. The building had its original appearance until the 17th century. With the help of the Dalai Lama in 1648, the temple was restored and slightly reconstructed. Today it is this building that travelers can see when they arrive in Tibet. About 7 thousand workers and 1,000 artists took part in the construction of the structure.
In 1922, the Supreme Head of Tibet repaired the halls and other places of worship in the White Palace, and the workers also restored the Red Palace. This great building was damaged only once - in 1959 during the invasion of the Chinese.
In addition, the temple remained in excellent condition even after the robberies of the Red Guards, who destroyed many Tibetan palaces in the 60-70s. 20th century. In the Potala temple complex, all the exhibits and sanctuaries at that time remained intact.
Once upon a time, administrators and religious mentors were trained in the castle. In the White Palace are small chapels that are valued for their safety and sacredness.
White Palace
The Potala Temple consists of the White and Red Palaces. In the White Palace you can see the rooms of the monks of the Supreme Head of Tibet, the Solar and the Great East Pavilions.
It is worth noting that the Solar Pavilion consists of an eastern and a western part. The rooms of the thirteenth Supreme Head of Tibet are located in the western part, and the rooms of the fourteenth Dalai Lama are located in the eastern part. Tourists will be able to see brocade blankets, jasper and gold tea utensils, porcelain sculptures, statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and much more in the Sun Pavilion.
The Great East Pavilion is the largest in the White Palace. It was here that cultural celebrations and political meetings took place. The walls of the Great Eastern Pavilion are decorated with frescoes on the themes: “the life story of a princess”, “how a monkey turned into a man”. In the center of the large pavilion stands a large statue of the Dalai Lama.
Red Palace
In the Red Palace, the monks of the Dalai Lama read prayers in the name of Buddha Shakyamuni. Here you can see many pavilions with memorial shrines and other unusual rooms.
The Red Palace has eight sanctuaries, among which it is worth highlighting the rooms of the thirteenth Dalai Lama and the fifth Supreme Head of Tibet. Their appearance is simply amazing. They are so large and luxurious that any tourist will definitely remember the memorial sanctuaries in the Potala for a lifetime. The stupa of the fifth Dalai Lama has a height of more than fourteen meters (five-story building). It is completely made of real gold. Tibetan memorial shrines alone are a large part of the world's wealth.
The Stupa of the thirteenth Dalai Lama rises to a height of about 14 m. It was built in 1934.
In the Red Palace, travelers will see various attributes, unique scriptures, unusual items and handicrafts, icons of Buddhist saints, frescoes depicting the construction of the Tibetan temple complex.
The highest and most spacious hall of the Red Palace is its western part. This is where the Dalai Lama once received guests, held ceremonial events and held sacrifices. Among the exhibits there is a banner with imperial painting, brocade and gold threads. You can also see the statue of the many-armed and many-faced Avalokiteshvara, made of silver and gold.
The most ancient attraction of the temple complex is the Pabalakan pavilion (Avalokiteshvar) and the Favana cave (27 sq. km.). The pavilion is located directly above the cave, which allows tourists to view the beauty of the complex. Fawan Cave houses rare statues of princesses of the Tufan Kingdom: Ludongzang, Chizul and Wencheng.
Most of the roofs of the pavilions of the palace are covered with gilding and have a traditional Chinese shape with flying corners, which are often decorated with animals from legends.
Potala Palace is a monument of Buddhist architecture. Many exhibits here are unique and amazing. Having visited this Palace, travelers want to come back here again.
The unique ancient Potala Palace (Rotala Palace) is located in the center of the capital of Tibet - Lhasa, at a geographical height of 3767 m above sea level. This monumental building of antiquity is recognized as the tallest palace in the world. Its first buildings date back to the 6th century, and it acquired its completed current appearance by the 17th century after numerous reconstructions and expansions. The complex of buildings was built in the architectural traditions of Tibet and is rightfully the greatest creation of Tibetan architects. Foreign tourists coming to China have the opportunity to visit the palace, where today there is a large-scale local history museum.
Potala Palace in Tibet - the residence of the Dalai Lama
The name Potala Palace acquired in the 11th century by the name of the sacred mountain in India, the abode of the Bodhisattva of Compassion - Avalokiteshvara, whose earthly incarnation is the Dalai Lama. Numerous halls and facilities were intended for a wide variety of events and ceremonies. But above all, the Potala Palace in Lhasa served as the residence for the Dalai Lama and his vast staff.
Until 1959, this was the main residence of the Buddhist high priest, until the Chinese army invaded Tibet. Then the Dalai Lama was forced to leave the country, having received political asylum in India. Most of the monks were expelled, with the exception of a few who are allowed to stay in the Potala under strict supervision. The building of the palace and its values were not damaged and today are open for visits and inspection.
What does the Potala Palace look like in Tibet?
The Potala Palace looks monumental and majestic in the photo. Its trapezoidal buildings were erected on the slope of the Red Mountain in Lhasa, harmoniously combining palace granite walls and mountainous terrain into a single whole. The building of the palace is 9-storey, although in the photograph from the street where the Potala Palace is depicted, it seems that the number of floors is 13.
The palace complex includes the Red Palace (Potrang Marpo) in its center and two pavilions of the White Palace. The central part of the Potala Palace is red-brown, like the robes of lamas. Its premises served for prayers and religious ceremonies. The apartments of the Dalai Lama and the tombs of his predecessors were also located here, the main lamaist shrines were kept. Potrang Marpo is characterized by halls with a complex layout and a large number of galleries of different levels, connected by narrow winding passages.
The color of the White Palace, visible in the photo, symbolizes peace and tranquility. It consists of the Great Eastern Pavilion with spacious halls for important receptions and ceremonies, as well as the Solar Pavilion located above it, which served as the room where the Dalai Lama lived and worked. On the territory of the White Palace there are two chapels dating back to the 7th century - the oldest of the surviving buildings.
The Potala Palace in Lhasa with the richest collection of exhibits in photographs and pictures
For many centuries, the ancient Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet has served as a repository of a large number of valuable relics: painted frescoes, gilded stupas, tanka scrolls, sculptures and rare sutras. The collection also includes paintings, wood carvings, gold and jade items. In general, the museum exposition in the photo consists of the attributes of Buddhist rituals and gifts presented to the Dalai Lama.
The walls of the palace are covered with thousands of square meters of colored frescoes. They depict scenes from mythology and Buddhist legends, genre pictures that tell about folk customs, as well as portraits of historical figures: rulers, the Dalai Lamas and enlightened figures of ancient Tibet. The wall paintings tell about the traditions and way of life of the Tibetans in the distant past.
The tanka scrolls from the photo are written on thin paper, silk or cotton. They are devoted to various religious themes and historical events. Tanka specimens depicting the Tibetan astronomical calendar, as well as sayings on a medical topic, are of an educational nature.
The statues in the photo from the Potala Palace in Lhasa are sculptural images of Buddhist deities and historical figures. They are created in the combined traditions of Chinese, Indian and Nepalese arts. The statues of Songtsen Gamp, the many-faced goddess Guanyin, princesses Wencheng and Chitsun stand out. The most revered artifact, popular with thousands of visitors from all over the world, is the Potala statue, completely covered with 550 kg of gold leaf and encrusted with precious stones.
Of great value to historians and researchers is the extensive library that the Potala Palace in Lhasa has. It contains unique books on the topics of Buddhism, medicine and astronomy. These sources contain interesting and useful information on the history, economy, political system and culture of Tibet. Some examples of classical Buddhist writings, written in liquid gold, are truly priceless.
Order of visits by tourists to the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet
The Potala Palace is the center of Tibetan history, culture, religion and art. This ancient object is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO. Remaining a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, it is currently a major museum of culture and local history of Tibet, actively visited by tourists. Travelers should definitely visit the Potala Palace when they come to China.
Since to this day it is a religious building in Tibet, a number of rules and restrictions have been established when visiting the Potala Palace. Tickets at the box office in front of the gates of the White Palace are sold only the next day after the application for a visit. In this case, it is necessary to provide a free certificate received at the time of ordering, confirming the identity of the visitor. Ticket prices fluctuate depending on the season. Children and persons over 70 years of age - admission is free.
The route for tourists is strictly established. Visiting time is also limited: you can visit the Potala Palace for no more than one hour. During the visit, you should follow a number of rules:
- visitors are only allowed to enter from the main East entrance;
- you can not smoke, step on thresholds, walk around the hall in a hat or sunglasses;
- photography is only allowed outside the palace.
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- and its attractions
Roughly knew that in Tibet there is a huge palace on the mountain. I decided that I needed to get to know him better. Let's go together.
Potala is a unique ancient palace in Lhasa, located at an altitude of 3767 meters above sea level. No palace in the world is located as high as the Potala. The palace got its name from the name of the sacred mountain located in India, where, according to legend, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvar (Guanyin) lives.
The first wooden Potala Palace on the slope of the Red Mountain was built in the 7th century for the niece of the Tang emperor Wen Cheng, who came to Tibet to marry the Tibetan prince Srontszangambo (617-650). Wen Cheng captivated the ruler with her beauty and intelligence, and he ordered that a palace be built for her. The Tang princess is the most famous and revered woman in Tibet, who had a huge impact on the development of this region. She taught the locals how to grow vegetables, grind flour, distill wine and spirits, and, most importantly, introduced them to Buddhism, which was already widespread throughout China. With her help, Prince Srontszangambo created an administrative and military system in Tibet.
1939
However, already in the 8th century, the palace with 999 rooms was destroyed by lightning and internecine wars, and only in the 17th century, by order of the fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682), the palace was restored, after which the layout of the building did not change. Since then, the Potala has served as the sacred residence of the Dalai Lamas, a religious center and the place from which Tibet is governed.
The area of the palace occupies 360,000 sq.m., the height is 119 meters. In total, the palace has 9 floors, although from the street it seems that there are 13 of them, and more than 2000 rooms. The majestic trapezoidal structures of the palace are built right on the mountainside and are painted in white and red colors. The walls of the palace are made of granite, while the windows and roofs are made of wood. The interiors are lit with oil lamps, and the halls are decorated with silk ribbons and sutras. The palace is designed in the architectural style typical of Tibet and is the most majestic and striking creation of Tibetan architects and craftsmen. Potala Palace - the oldest and most famous palace in China - is called the "pearl on the roof of the world."
The palace consists of two main parts - the Red Palace in the center and two pavilions of the White Palace.
The Red Palace, or as it is also called Potrang Marpo, mainly served for religious ceremonies and prayers. In its premises there are eight stupas that store a particle of the relics of the Dalai Lamas, numerous relics, items made of precious metals and stones. The palace is characterized by a complex layout of halls, a large number of galleries of different levels, with winding and narrow passages.
The most spacious room of the Red Palace is the Great Western Hall, which consists of four temples. This magnificent hall is the clearest evidence of the greatness and power of the Fifth Dalai Lama. The hall is famous for its unique paintings, reminiscent of Persian miniatures, which depict scenes from the life of the Fifth Dalai Lama. The columns in the hall are wrapped with a special precious fabric from Bhutan.
In the northern part of the hall is a sacred tomb, on the door of which, in the 19th century, the Chinese emperor Tong Ji had an inscription proclaiming Buddhism "a flowering field of wonderful fruits." Here is an ancient statue of Avalokiteshvara and two of his servants, carved from a precious stone. A floor below, a low, dark passage leads to Fa-vaan's cave.
On the fourth floor of the Red Palace in the Western Temple, there are 5 stupas of the Dalai Lama, including the stupa of the fifth Dalai Lama. Its length is almost 15 meters. The stupa was built from sandalwood, covered with 3727 kg. pure gold, adorned with 18680 pearls and precious stones. On the left is the stupa of the twelfth Dalai Lama, and on the right is the stupa of the tenth.
The 13th Dalai Lama's tomb is located to the west of the Great Western Hall. You can only get here through the top floor along with the monks or guides of the palace. Built in 1933, the giant memorial stupa is covered in pure gold and priceless stones. The memorial stupa reaches 22 meters in height. Rich religious decorations include elephant tusks from India, porcelain vases, and miniature pagodas made from over 200,000 pearls. The walls are decorated with traditional Tibetan paintings depicting events from the life of the 13th Dalai Lama.
In the pavilion of the Red Palace of Shushengsanjiedian, there is an amazing statue of a thousand-handed Guanyin with 11 faces.
The main buildings of the White Palace, the color of which symbolizes tranquility and peace, are the Great Eastern Pavilion, the Solar Pavilion, as well as living quarters for teachers of the Dalai Lamas, trusted monks and officials. The spacious premises of the Great Eastern Pavilion were used for important ceremonies and receptions. Here is the throne of the Dalai Lama.
The Sun Pavilion above the Great East Pavilion served as the living quarters for the Dalai Lamas. This is where they worked.
In addition, two buildings of the 7th century have been preserved in the palace, the only ones that were not destroyed during civil strife - the Fa-wana cave and the Pabalakan pavilion. According to legend, King Srontszangambo used to meditate and study sacred texts in the cave. Until now, the hearth and stone vat, which were used by the king himself, have been preserved in the cave.
A large-scale reconstruction of the palace, for which more than $6.6 million was spent, was carried out in 1989-1994. At the same time, an expensive monitoring system was installed in the premises to prevent fires. December 7, 1994 the palace was included in the UNESCO heritage list. In 2002-2006, more than $40 million was spent on the restoration of the palace. Now the palace is open to tourists and partly works as a museum.
The Potala Palace is almost entirely built of wood. It is lit with oil lamps. And the halls are decorated with silk ribbons with sutras. All of these create a fire hazard. The administration of the Potala Palace pays great attention to the prevention of accidents. Therefore, in 1994, 4.7 million yuan (US$566,000) was invested in the installation of a 24-hour monitoring system. Thanks to the measures taken, since 1988 there has not been a single fire in the palace. December 7, 1994 the palace was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Previously, it has never been calculated how many rooms are in the 13-story palace. It was only in 1994 that the administration nevertheless decided to establish the exact number of premises. To carefully examine the palace, it took specialists as much as five years, longer than the restoration of the building itself. The Potala is a huge treasure trove of ancient relics. The sacred stupa of the 5th Dalai Lama (1617-1682), made of 5.5 kg of gold and a huge amount of precious stones, is kept here.
The Chinese government has invested 4.9 million yuan in the palace's fire protection system. During the first stage of the project, from 1989 to 1994, 53 million yuan (6.4 million US dollars) and several tons of gold were spent to restore the Potala. Prior to this, for 300 years, there were no full-scale reconstructions of the palace. There are many cultural treasures in Tibet. Since the 1950s, the Chinese government has spent 200 million yuan to preserve cultural monuments in Tibet. Historians, ancient architects and geologists carried out research in order to draw up a plan for the preservation of the Potala.
The second phase of the restoration project was completed in 2006. The focus at this stage will be on the "snow town" at the foot of the Red Hill. By 2001, more than 300 families had settled in the snowy town where the Tibetan nobility once lived. At the first stage, the Red and White Palaces of the Potala were restored, the premises were cleaned from rats, and a sewer system was installed. To preserve the appearance of the palace, experts turned to traditional construction techniques. For example, they covered the roof with a layer of oil to make it waterproof. This technology has been used by the Tibetans for centuries. However, even when using oil, the roofs leaked during heavy rains, when the rammed earth from which they were made began to dissolve. At the second stage, a special chemical was added to the rammed earth, which will not allow the roof to pass water. Particular attention was paid to wooden structures. They were treated with a substance that repels rats. But new technologies did not harm the ancient structure of the palace. The purpose of the reconstruction was not to change the original appearance. Special measures were taken to preserve statues, manuscripts and other valuables. Huge statues in multi-layered robes, wooden frames, canvases and sheets of metal were taken out of the palace. During construction, they were kept under the supervision of the monks. None of the 100,000 pieces of art were damaged during the work. In the second phase of the project, which began in 2002, the team abandoned the use of cement for the roof, instead using chemicals. Thus, they avoided the destruction of ancient structures.
The first buildings appeared here as early as the 7th century, but the Potala acquired its current appearance only in the 16th-17th centuries. The palace was built from 641 to the 17th century. In 1645, construction began on the first, lower part of the Potala - the White Palace (Potrang Karpo). The nine-story building was completed 3 years later, and in 1649 the Fifth Dalai Lama moved from Drepung to his new residence.
white palace was the place where the courtiers used to live, there were reception halls, storerooms, etc. They say that treasures, weapons, as well as sacred books and archives that Tibetan kings and Dalai Lamas have been collecting for centuries have been stored here and now. However, this cannot be verified - tourists are only allowed into a few rooms. In addition, photography inside these premises is strictly prohibited.
The central part of the complex - Red Palace(Potrang Marpi) red-brown, like the clothes of lamas, in color. Here were the apartments of the Dalai Lama, the main lamaist shrines, the tombs (suburgans) of the Dalai Lamas, starting from the Fifth.
The circumstances of the construction of the upper Red Palace, which is larger in size, remain the subject of controversy to this day. It is known for sure that the Fifth Dalai Lama died in 1682, and the fact of his death was hidden until the completion of the construction of the Red Palace in 1694, that is, for 12 years. According to some reports, the work was started by a regent who ruled Tibet from 1679 to 1703. According to other sources, the Red Palace was conceived by the Fifth Dalai Lama as a mausoleum, and by the time of his death, work was already in full swing. In any case, the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama was not announced until his body was placed in the newly completed Red Palace.
There are also several opinions regarding the name of the palace. The most likely explanation is that it comes from the Tibetan name used to denote the Pure World of Avalokiteshvara, also known as the Potala. Considering the fact that both Songtsen Gampo and the Dalai Lama are considered to be the earthly incarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, this explanation seems quite acceptable.
In total, both palaces have more than 1000 rooms and 13 floors. On the territory of the Potala, Phakpa Lhakhang Temple There is a sacred statue of Aria Lokeshvara for Buddhists. Here is the personal monastery of the Dalai Lama, a religious school, cells of monks, a treasury and storerooms.
Since its construction, the Potala has served as the home of each of the subsequent Dalai Lamas, although since the summer palace at Norbulingk was built in the 18th century, it has only served as a winter residence. The Potala also housed the Tibetan government, and with all the chapels, halls, philosophical and religious schools, the tombs of the Dalai Lamas, the palace was a separate world. The 13th Dalai Lama undertook some renovation work in the early 20th century, removing some sections of the White Palace in order to expand some of the cells.
The Potala was also shelled during a popular uprising against the Chinese in 1959. Luckily, the damage was not significant either during the uprising or in the following years of the Cultural Revolution.
For many years after the Chinese occupation, the palace was closed to the public, and only in 1980 it was reopened. In 1985, restoration work was completed, for which about $4 million was spent.
In 1645, the Potala Palace was rebuilt by the Fifth Dalai Lama. The reconstruction process lasted 50 years. After that, for three hundred years, the palace was partially rebuilt and completed. The Potala Palace today has 9 tiers (although there are 13 in appearance) and rises 110 meters along the mountainside. It is a mixed construction of stone and wood. The walls are built of granite. The greatest thickness of the walls is 5 meters. Molten Gugong is also poured into the front of the walls to strengthen the structure and increase resistance to earthquakes. At the same time, golden details of the decor were made, which made it possible to ingeniously solve the problem of a lightning rod. For hundreds of years, the Potala Palace has been tested by lightning, thunder and earthquakes. However, he, as before, rises in all his glory. The Potala Palace consists of the White Palace (the residence of the Dalai Lamas), located on the sides, and the central Red Palace (Buddhist pavilions and halls of the Dalai Lamas) and the western white Buddhist halls. In front of the Red Palace rises the white tower Sayfotai, where large tanks hang - woven icons (or applications) with the image of Buddha. All the buildings of the Potala were erected in different periods, however, during the construction, the mountainous terrain was cleverly used and excellent constructive solutions were used. The Potala Palace has reached a high aesthetic level. The Red Palace is the main object of the entire ensemble. It contains the halls of the Dalai Lamas of different generations and various memorial and prayer halls. Including the most famous hall with a stupa of the fifth generation Dalai Lama Losanjiatso. The stupa is almost 15 meters high. It has a square foundation and a round roof. The body of the stupa can be divided into three parts: the foundation, the body-“decanter” and the roof. The body of the fifth generation Dalai Lama, in incense and red flowers, was buried in a "decanter". The stupa is lined with 3724 kg. gold leaf and decorated with more than 15 thousand precious stones, such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, green jade, pearls, agates. On the foundation of the stupa there are vessels for sacrifices. The western hall is called Xiangtan. This is the largest hall in the palace of the fifth generation Dalai Lama. The roof of the structure is supported by 48 large wooden columns 6 meters high. During the construction, the architects used an arched structure, which is often used in buildings of Han architecture. There are many wooden sculptures of Buddha, lions, elephants and various animals. During the reconstruction and expansion of the Potala Palace in the XVII century. famous Tibetan masters have created tens of thousands of beautiful wall paintings, which are displayed in the halls and galleries. The content of the paintings is varied. They depict historical characters, plots of stories and legends, moments in the history of Buddhism, and also reflect life, folk customs, sports entertainment and games. All these paintings are priceless works of art of the Potala Palace.
In addition, the Potala Palace contains tens of thousands of scroll paintings, examples of stone and wood carvings, clay sculpture, historical treasures such as the Beijing (Buddhist canon on shells), as well as traditional art objects such as Tibetan carpets, Jingfan (Canon on silk or wool), ceramics, porcelain, jade products, etc. They not only have a high artistic value, but also reflect the ancient thousand-year history of friendly contacts and cultural ties between the Han and Tibetans. Being the “Pearl of the Roof of the World”, the Potala Palace is known throughout the world due to its palace structures, clay and wooden statues, metal products, drawings and paintings, as well as various carvings. It demonstrates the highest technique of the Tibetan, Han, Mongolian and Manchu masters, as well as the magnificent achievements of the Tibetan building art. In 1994, the Potala Palace was officially included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List.
