Potala Palace, Tibet

From series “The Most Inaccessible Buildings in the World”

4 out of 10 - Schloss Lichtenstein, Germany

5 out of 10 - Palacio Nacional da Pena, Portugal

8 out of 10 - Monastery of George Khozevita, Israel

9 out of 10 - Chapel of St Michael dAiguilhe, France

Year: 1645. Height: 170 meters.

In Lhasa, in the picturesque Tibetan mountains, is the famous Potala Palace - the tallest among the ancient buildings in the world. The palace is located at the height of 3 767 meters above sea level. The summit of the Marpo Ri mountain serves as the site of the palace. Potala Palace is the largest monumental structure on the territory of Tibet and is located on the top of the mountains and on its slope. The height of the multi-storey building is also quite impressive and forms 170 meters.

Potala is a complicated castle complex, which, apart from the Tsarist palace, houses a large complex of temples. The general area of the building is 360 thousand square meters. For many years, the palace served as the main residence of the Dalai Lamas. For the Buddhists Potala Palace is an important sacred place. And the tourists know this place as an interesting museum.

According to the historical data, the construction of the palace complex began in 1645 under the direction of Dalai Lamas V. The construction of the White Palace had already been completed three years later. The architecture of the castle complex is unique and consists of the numerous buildings, steep stairs and terraces of the incredible combination. It is no wonder, as the best masters from Tibet, China and Nepal were invited to build the palace in the 17th century. The visitors of the palace can stroll through the spacious pavilions and pre-mimic the dwelling-houses that once belonged to the teacher and regent Dalai Lamas. On the territory of the castle complex is also the famous Fa-Vana Cave - an important Buddhist sight. To beginning

To the beginning - Blejski Grad

Potala Palace - interactive map

Useful staff nearby

ATM bankomat: 'Agricultural Bank of China 24-hour Self-service Bank' located in 0.25 km (

check the route on the map).

Supermarket: 'Haishan General Merchandise Shop' in 0.44 km

Parking: 'Parking Lot' in 1.24 km

Police station: 'Niangre Road Police Station' in 0.62 km

Cafe/restaurant: 'Zhengdian Biancan' in 0.13 km

Railway station: 'Lhasa Railway Station' in 7 km

Photo gallery: The Most Inaccessible Buildings in the World

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Best hotels near Potala Palace

New Century Hotel Lhasa Grand Wing

Located in 2 km from Potala Palace
Route on the map:

Rooms: 102

New Century Hotel Lhasa Grand Wing is a 5-minute from the world-famous Potala Palace, 10-minute drive from Lhasa Railway Station. Gonggar Airport is … More: photo, rates and booking

Tashitakge Hotel Lhasa

Located in 3 km from Potala Palace
Route on the map:

Rooms: 26

Tibetan-style rooms are fitted with an electric kettle and a flat-screen TV. The en suite bathroom offers free toiletries and hot shower facilities. … More: photo, rates and booking

Tibet Bog Garden Hotel

Located in 4 km from Potala Palace
Route on the map:

Rooms: 68

Tibet Bog Garden Hotel is a 10-minute walk from Jokhang Temple, a 15-minute walk from Barkhor Street, 1.6 km from Norbulingka Palace and 4 km from … More: photo, rates and booking

Jardin Secret Hotel

Located in 5 km from Potala Palace
Route on the map:

Rooms: 200

All guest rooms feature a 32'' flat-screen TV with satellite channels. They are equipped with a minibar, refrigerator and tea/ coffee maker. A safety … More: photo, rates and booking

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Top destination around Potala Palace - Lhasa

In Lhasa, tourists can visit a beautiful museum – the Potala Palace. All year round, thousands of Buddhist pilgrims arrive here in order to perform “kora”, a special ritual circuit. There are ritual drums along the route of the kora pilgrimage. The history of the palace started in the first half of the 7th century. Initially, a pavilion for meditations appeared on the site of the palace that we can see nowadays. The Tibetan king of that time, Songtsen Gampo, felt calm and peaceful in the pavilion, and so he decided to turn it into a big palace.

He ordered to build Potala that had almost one thousand rooms. However, nature damaged the palace – a lightning strike caused a fire that destroyed all wooden parts of the palace. The Potala Palace got its current look in the mid-17th century after extensive restoration. The 5th Dalai Lama, who was the ruler at that time, ordered to restore the building and made it his residence. Visitors are welcome to visit the grave of the 3rd Dalai Lama, but this is possible only together with a guide who is a local monk.
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