Potala Palace

#17 - Lhasa, China

#16

#18

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You can make yourself right at home here.

It was the Dalai Lama main residence after all. The Great Fifth Dalai Lama started the construction in 1645 and today it functions as a museum that draws tourists and followers from all over the world. It's no wonder that it ranks #17 on our AbsoluteVisit list. You could almost touch the clouds from the top of the 400 ft. Red Hill on which it's built. Potala means “The Sacred Place of Buddhism” and the palace is blessed with beautiful architectural details and precious relics.

Slide 1: Potala Palace Chinese Dragon

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Slide 2: Potala Palace from a Distance

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Slide 3: Potala Palace Front Landscape

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Slide 4: Potala Palace Lake Reflection at Night

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Slide 5: Potala Palace from Below Landscape

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Overview

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Quick Facts & History

The Potala Palace was the residence of the Dalai Lama all the way up until the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India. It now serves as a museum, containing jewels, sculptures and paintings dating back thousands of years.
Built over 1,300 years ago in the 7th century, Potala Palace is the highest palace in the world, located on top of Red Hill in Tibet, China 3,500 meters (11,482 feet) above sea level.
The palace is separated into two different palaces, the Red Palace and the White Palace. The Red Palace was painted to red to represent power, and the White Palace was painted so to signify peace and tranquility.
Potala Palace is a massive structure with 13 floors, almost 1000 rooms, and 698 marvelous murals depicting Buddhist legends, scenery, stories and mythical customs of Tibet.