Potala Palace
One of the world’s most amazing architectural works, Potala Palace is the cream of Tibetan craftsmanship. Its construction began in the 7th century, after King Songtsen Gampo’s marriage, and it became a place for meditation. In the 17th century, the 5th Dalai Lama rebuilt it to its present size and since then it has become the Winter Palace of all the Dalai Lamas.
Build atop the Red Hill, Potala Palace rises 117 meters into the air, stretches 400 meters from east to west, 350 meters from north to south and contains over 1,000 rooms, 20,000 shrines and 200,000 statues. It’s built entirely out of stone and timber, on a copper foundation that makes it earthquake-proof and its upper-most levels are covered by golden roofs.
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