The historical ensemble of the Potala Palace in the city of Lhasa. Potala Palace is a priceless treasury of Tibet. The largest and most ancient part of the palace

In the city of Lhasa in Tibet - royal palace and a Buddhist temple complex, was the main residence of the Dalai Lama.
Until the flight of the 14th Dalai Lama to Darmasala (India) after the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959.
Situated on a high hill dominating the city. The total area of ​​the palace complex is 360 thousand square meters. m.



Now the Potala Palace is a museum actively visited by tourists, remaining a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists and continuing to be used in Buddhist rituals.
Due to its enormous cultural, religious, artistic and historical significance, it was included in the list in 1994 World Heritage UNESCO.



Name "Potala" comes from a Sanskrit word meaning "mountain of Buddha". On this site in the 7th century AD stood the palace of Songsten Gampu, dedicated to the Buddhist ruler of Tibet.



The Potala is located at 3700 meters above sea level, its height is 115 meters, divided into 13 floors, total area which are more than 130,000 square meters. There is no exact data on how many rooms and halls there are in the Potala. Their number is "somewhere over a thousand," and there are very few people who have been able to get around them all.



Palace in his modern form began construction in 1645 on the initiative of the V Dalai Lama. In 1648, the White Palace (Potrang Karpo) was completed, and the Potala began to be used as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. The Red Palace (Potrang Marpo) was completed between 1690 and 1694.



The palace is located at an altitude of 3,700 m on the Red Hill (Marpo Ri) in the middle of the Lhasa valley. Because of the terraces, rooftop areas and temples, it does not give the impression of a fortress (dzong). The general appearance of the palace, stretched on a mountain ridge, with towers, walls, stairs, temples and annexes, is a unique artistic solution; its majesty and beauty are appreciated by Buddhists, architects and artists, and amaze travelers.
Numerous pilgrims walk around the hill with the palace, making a kora - a ritual circumambulation of the holy place. Along the bark there are numerous prayer wheels and shopping arcades.



To get inside the palace, which is shaped like a truncated pyramid or trapezoid, you need to walk through a wide area located on all sides of the building. Only after passing through them can you approach the slope, along the entire surface of which are scattered many zigzag stairs connecting all parts of the palace.



The White Palace consists of a large eastern pavilion, a sun pavilion, the residential quarters of the regent and mentor of the Dalai Lama, and government offices. The large eastern pavilion was used for official ceremonies; in the Solar Pavilion, the Dalai Lama actually lived and worked, read sacred texts, and was engaged in administration.



The Red Palace served largely as a place of prayer and religious rituals; it contains pavilions. Eight memorial stupas, including those of the Fifth and Thirteenth Dalai Lamas, are of great importance.



In addition to stupas, the palace consists of a string of large and small halls (temples) dedicated to Buddhas, Boddhisattvas, Dalai Lamas, as well as for audiences and ceremonies. Jewels and relics are displayed in the halls - spatial mandalas for contemplation, funeral stupas, statues of Dalai Lamas and teachers, statues of deities and yidams, books, ritual objects, a complex system of painting on the walls.


Excerpt from the book of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV "My Country and My People"

"They say this is one of the largest buildings in the world. Even if you live there for many years, it is impossible to know all the secrets of this building. It completely covers the top of the hill. It is an entire city.



However, in addition to the fact that this building was used as an office, temple, school and home, the Potala was also a huge warehouse. There were rooms filled with thousands of priceless icon scrolls and thangkas. Some of them were written a thousand years ago. There were rooms filled with the golden regalia of the ancient kings of Tibet, also over 1,000 years old, and various gifts received from the Chinese and Mongol emperors, as well as the treasures of the Dalai Lamas who ruled the country after the kings. Armor and weapons from throughout Tibetan history were also kept here.


The libraries contained chronicles of Tibetan culture and religion, about seven thousand huge volumes. Some are said to weigh about 80 pounds, and others were written on palm leaves brought from India 1,000 years ago. Two thousand enlightening volumes of sacred scriptures were written with ink composed of powders of gold, silver, iron, copper, mother-of-pearl, lapis lazuli and coral. Each line was written in a different color of ink."


One of the main attractions of the palace is the many frescoes depicting various everyday and ritual scenes. Some of the frescoes were not available for public viewing for a long time. Only in the late 90s they were hung in the halls, and now they can be seen by all pilgrims and tourists who come to the Potala.
Many of the frescoes depict the twelve-armed god Avalokitersvara and his wife goddess Tara. The fact is that these deities are considered the main patrons of Tibet. To make these frescoes, Tibetan craftsmen used agate, amber, gold and silver powder






Tibet is home to one of the most beautiful Buddhist palaces in the world - the Potala. The building received 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 residence of the Dalai Lama. It was here that all ceremonies and meetings with the Tibetan government were held. Currently, many tourists come here from different countries world in order to see with my 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 mythical legend, Songtsen Gempo (a Tibetan ruler in the 7th century AD) was meditating in a cave on Mount Marpo. Later he decided to build a temple complex on the hill. The structure 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 structure that travelers can see upon arriving in Tibet. About 7 thousand workers and 1,000 artists took part in the construction of the structure.

The Supreme Head of Tibet in 1922 repaired the halls and other places of worship in the White Palace, and workers also restored the Red Palace. This greatest structure was damaged only once - in 1959 during the Chinese invasion.

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 exhibits and sanctuaries remained intact at this time.

The castle once trained administrators and religious teachers. The White Palace contains small chapels that are valued for their preservation 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 Great Eastern Pavilions.

It is worth noting that the Solar Pavilion consists of an eastern and western part. In the western part are the rooms of the thirteenth Supreme Head of Tibet, and in the eastern part are the rooms of the fourteenth Dalai Lama. Tourists will be able to see brocade blankets, tea utensils made of jasper and gold, porcelain sculptures, statues of Buddha Shakyamuni and much more in the Solar Pavilion.

The Great Eastern 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 the princess”, “how a monkey turned into a man”. In the center Great Pavilion there is a large statue of the Dalai Lama.

Red Palace

In the Red Palace, 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 the rest of their lives. The stupa of the fifth Dalai Lama is more than fourteen meters high (a five-story building). It is made entirely of real gold. Tibetan memorial shrines alone constitute 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 products and crafts, 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.

The most ancient attraction of the temple complex is the Pabalakan (Avalokiteshvar) pavilion and the Favana cave (27 sq. km.) The pavilion is located directly above the cave, which allows tourists to admire the beauty of the complex. Fawana Cave contains rare statues of the princesses of the Tufan Kingdom: Ludongzang, Chizul and Wencheng.

Most of the roofs of the palace pavilions are gilded and have a traditional Chinese shape with flying corners, which are often decorated with animals from legends.

The Potala Palace is a monument of Buddhist architecture. Many of the exhibits here are unique and amazing. Having visited this Palace, travelers want to come back here again.

I knew approximately that in Tibet there was a huge palace on a 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 sacred mountain, located in India, where, according to legend, the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvar (Guanyin) lives.


First wooden palace The Potala 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 Sronzangambo (617-650). Wen Cheng captivated the ruler with her beauty and intelligence, and he ordered a palace to be built for her. The Tang princess is the most famous and revered woman in Tibet, who had a huge influence on the development of this region. She taught local residents grow vegetables, grind flour, distill wine and alcohol and, most importantly, introduced them to Buddhism, which was already widespread throughout China. With her help, Prince Srontsangambo 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. religious center and the place from which Tibet is governed.


The area of ​​the palace occupies 360,000 sq.m., height - 119 meters. In total, the palace has 9 floors, although from the street it seems that there are 13, and more than 2000 rooms. The majestic trapezoidal structures of the palace were built directly on the mountainside and painted in white and red colors. The walls of the palace are made of granite, and the windows and roofs are made of wood. The interior is illuminated 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 is the oldest and famous palace in China it 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 containing a portion of the relics of the Dalai Lamas, numerous relics, and items made of valuable metals and stones. The palace is characterized by a complex layout of the halls, big number multi-level galleries, with winding and narrow passages.

The most spacious room of the Red Palace is the Great Western Hall, consisting of four temples. This magnificent hall is a clear testimony to 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 special precious fabric from Bhutan.

At the northern end of the hall is a sacred shrine, on the door of which an inscription was engraved by the Chinese Emperor Tung Ji in the 19th century, proclaiming Buddhism as a “blooming field of wonderful fruits.” Here it is ancient statue Avalokiteshvara and his two servants, carved from a precious stone. One 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 Lamas, including the stupa of the fifth Dalai Lama. Its length is almost 15 meters. The stupa was built of sandalwood, covered with 3727 kg. pure gold, decorated with 18,680 pearls and precious stones. On the left is the stupa of the twelfth Dalai Lama, and on the right is the tenth.

The tomb of the 13th Dalai Lama is located west of the Great West Hall. You can only get here through the top floor with monks or palace guides. Built in 1933, the gigantic memorial stupa is covered with 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 more than 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 Shushensanjiedian there is an amazing statue of the thousand-armed 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 Sun 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. The throne of the Dalai Lama is also located here.
The Sun Pavilion, located above the Great East Pavilion, served as the living quarters for the Dalai Lamas. This is where they worked.

In addition, two buildings from the 7th century have been preserved in the palace, the only ones not destroyed during civil strife - the Fa-vana cave and the Pabalakan pavilion. According to legend, King Srontsangambo meditated and studied sacred texts in the cave. To this day, a hearth and a stone vat, which were used by the king himself, have been preserved in the cave.

A large-scale reconstruction of the palace, on which more than 6.6 million dollars was spent, was carried out in 1989 - 1994. At the same time, an expensive premises monitoring system was installed to prevent fires. On 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 partially works as a museum.

The Potala Palace is built almost entirely of wood. It is illuminated using oil lamps. And the halls are decorated with silk ribbons with sutras. All this creates a fire hazard. The administration of the Potala Palace pays great attention to preventing accidents. Therefore, in 1994, 4.7 million yuan (USD 566,000) was invested in installing a 24-hour monitoring system. Thanks to the measures taken, there has not been a single fire in the palace since 1988. On December 7, 1994, the palace was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It has never been previously calculated how many rooms are in the 13-story palace. And only in 1994 the administration finally decided to establish the exact number of premises. It took specialists five whole years to thoroughly examine the palace, longer than the restoration of the building itself. The Potala is a huge treasury of ancient relics. The sacred stupa of the 5th Dalai Lama (1617-1682), made of 5.5 kg of gold and huge amount precious stones.

The Chinese government invested 4.9 million yuan in the palace's fire protection system. During the first phase 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 appearance of the Potala. Before this, for 300 years, there had been no full-scale reconstructions of the palace. Tibet is home to many cultural treasures. Since the 1950s, the Chinese government has spent 200 million yuan to preserve cultural monuments in Tibet. Historians, specialists in ancient architecture and geologists carried out research to draw up plans for the preservation of the Potala.

The second phase of the restoration project was completed in 2006. The focus of this phase will be on the “snow town” at the foot of Red Hill. By 2001, more than 300 families had settled in snow town, where the Tibetan nobility once lived. At the first stage, the Red and White Palaces of the Potala were restored, the premises were cleared of rats, and a sewerage system was installed. To preserve the appearance of the palace, experts turned to traditional construction techniques. For example, they coated the roof with a layer of oil to make it waterproof. This technology has been used by Tibetans from time immemorial. However, even when using oil, roofs leaked during rainstorms when the compacted earth from which they were made began to dissolve. In the second stage, a special chemical was added to the compacted earth to prevent the roof from leaking 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 monks. Not a single one of the 100,000 pieces of art was damaged during the work. During the second phase of the project, which began in 2002, specialists abandoned the use of cement for the roof, instead using chemicals. Thus, they avoided the destruction of ancient structures.

The first buildings appeared here in 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 structure was completed 3 years later, and in 1649 the Fifth Dalai Lama moved from Drepung to his new residence.

White Palace was a place where courtiers previously lived, there were reception halls, storerooms, etc. They say that treasures, weapons, as well as sacred books and archives that Tibetan kings and the Dalai Lamas have collected for centuries are kept here. 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) is red-brown, like the clothes of lamas. Here were the apartments of the Dalai Lama, the main Lamaist shrines, tombs (suburgans) of the Dalai Lamas, starting from the Fifth.

The circumstances of the construction of the larger, upper Red Palace remain the subject of controversy to this day. It is known for certain 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 sources, the work was started by the 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 came from a Tibetan name adopted to designate Pure World Avalokiteshvara, also known as Potala. Taking into account the fact that both Songtsen Gampo and the Dalai Lama are considered 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, in Phakpa Lhakhang Temple there is a statue of Ariya Lokeshvara, sacred to Buddhists. The Dalai Lama’s personal monastery, religious school, monks’ cells, treasury and storage rooms are also located here.

Since its construction, the Potala has served as the home of each of the subsequent Dalai Lamas, although since it was built in the 18th century summer palace in Norbulingka, it began to serve only as a winter residence. The Potala also housed the Tibetan government, and with all the chapels, halls, philosophical and religious schools, and tombs of the Dalai Lamas, the palace was a world of its own. The Thirteenth Dalai Lama undertook some renovation work on the palace in the early 20th century, removing some sections of the White Palace in order to expand some of the cells.

The Potala also came under fire during the popular uprising against the Chinese in 1959. Fortunately, the damage was not significant either during the uprising or in the subsequent 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, on 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, over the course of 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. This is a mixed structure made of stone and wood. The walls are built of granite. The greatest thickness of the walls is 5 meters. Molten Gougong was also poured into the front part of the walls to strengthen the structure and increase its resistance to earthquakes. At the same time, gold decorative details were made, which made it possible to ingeniously solve the lightning rod problem. Over hundreds of years, the Potala Palace has been tested by lightning, thunder and earthquakes. However, as before, it rises in all its glory. The Potala Palace consists of the White Palace (residence of the Dalai Lamas) flanked by a 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 Saifotai tower, where large thangkas hang - woven icons (or appliqués) with the image of Buddha. All the buildings of the Potala were erected in different periods, but during construction they cleverly used mountainous terrain and used excellent design solutions. The Potala Palace has reached a high aesthetic level. The Red Palace is the main object of the entire ensemble. It contains halls of Dalai Lamas of different generations and various memorial and prayer halls. Including the most famous hall with the 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, with 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. Vessels for sacrifices are installed on the foundation of the stupa. The western hall is called Xiangtan. This is the most Big 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 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 17th 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 tales and legends, moments in the history of Buddhism, and also reflect everyday 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, stone and wood carvings, clay sculptures, historical treasures such as the Beiejing (Buddhist shell canon), and traditional art pieces such as Tibetan carpets, Jingfan (Canon on silk or wool), ceramics, porcelain, jade products, etc. They not only have high artistic value, but also reflect the ancient thousand-year history of friendly contacts and cultural ties between the Han Chinese and Tibetans. Being the “pearl of the Roof of the World”, the Potala Palace is known throughout the world for its palace buildings, clay and wooden statues, metalwork, drawings and paintings, as well as various carvings. It showcases the finest techniques of Tibetan, Han, Mongolian and Manchu masters, as well as the magnificent achievements of Tibetan building art. In 1994, the Potala Palace was officially included by UNESCO in the List of World Cultural Heritage.

The ancient kings of Tibet were mostly mystics, and many of them had strong ties with the wonderful country of Ergor, or Shambhala.

I don’t know exactly what influenced King Songtsen Gampo’s decision to choose Red Mountain for his palace, but it is known that he built the Potala on the site of his meditation. This cave of his meditations is still intact and unharmed, despite the various periods of Tibetan history that did not spare the Potala.

The name "Potala" is borrowed from Sanskrit, and in Tibetan it sounds like "Potola" or "Puto", which means "mystical mountain". It consists of 2 parts - the Red Palace and the White Palace.

The White Palace surrounds the Red Palace, as if with a protective wall. It is very symbolic: after all, the white palace is the residence of the administrative, secular power of Tibet. The head of the Tibetan administration was the Dalai Lama. But few people mention that in addition to the head of the Government, for some time the Tashi Lama, the spiritual Head of Tibet approved by the Lords of Shambhala, also lived in the Red Palace.

The last Tashi Lama was forced to flee from the Potala after the conspiracy of the penultimate Dalai Lama. Thus, the penultimate Dalai Lama rejected the great Patrons of Shambhala. And soon after this tragic event, Chinese troops entered Tibet. Karma. The young Dalai Lama, the heir of the Traitor Lama, our contemporary, had to move to India, where his residence is still located.

And Shambhala closed its gates to the Tibetan people. But not very densely, the invisible Hand is still there, and the Teaching of Kalachakra, which came from the Tower of Shambhala, finds ways to live in the world. And that's good.

Below is an excellent account of the modern Potala.

Original taken from anton_ermachkov to the Potala Palace


The Potala Palace, located on the Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa, is not only the main attraction, the shrine, the largest monumental structure in all of Tibet, but also the tallest palace in the world. This palace is a one-of-a-kind monument of culture and art and truly an architectural masterpiece.
I don’t remember where and when I first saw a photograph of the Potala Palace, but since then I wanted to come to Tibet and see this miracle live!

Photo 2. The palace is located at an altitude of 3,700 m on the Red Hill (Marpo Ri) in the middle of the Lhasa valley. Numerous pilgrims walk around the hill with the palace, making a kora - a ritual circumambulation of the holy place. Along the bark there are numerous prayer wheels and shopping arcades.

In 637, the king of Tibet, Songtsen Gampo, erected the first building here in the place where he used to meditate. When he decided to make Lhasa his capital, he built a palace. After his betrothal to the Chinese princess, Wen Cheng expanded the palace to 999 rooms, erected walls and towers, and dug a bypass canal. In the second half of the 8th century, the palace was struck by lightning and the wooden buildings burned down; then, due to internecine wars, the palace collapsed. Now only the Fa-Vana cave and the Pabalakan hall have been preserved.

The palace in its modern form began to be built in 1645 on the initiative of the V Dalai Lama. In 1648, the White Palace was completed, and the Potala began to be used as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. The Red Palace was completed between 1690 and 1694.

Photo 3.

Photo 4. The heart of the complex is the Red Palace (Potrang Marpo) - the highest part in the center. This part is entirely devoted to religious education and Buddhist prayers:

Photo 5. 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 the eight past Dalai Lamas:

Photo 6. The White Palace consists of a large eastern pavilion, a sun pavilion, the residential quarters of the regent and mentor of the Dalai Lama, as well as government offices:

Photo 7. The large eastern pavilion was used for official ceremonies; the Dalai Lama actually lived and worked in the Solar Pavilion:

Photo 8.

Photo 9. Rising:

Photo 10. Interesting material for walls:)

Photo 11. The palace was the main residence of the Dalai Lama, until the forced departure of the XIV Dalai Lama in 1959 to India and receiving political asylum there. The Chinese government uses the complex as a museum. In 1994, the complex was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Photo 12. Since the Chinese comrades give tourists one hour to visit the palace, the inspection of the interior takes place almost at a run, but I still don’t understand how it happened that this is the only photo I took inside the palace:

Photo 13. On one of the tiers of the complex:

Photo 14. From the upper tiers of the Potala there is a good view of Lhasa:

Photo 15.

Photo 16. Potala at dusk:

Photo 17. And with backlight:

Photo 18. A little closer:

Photo 19. On the square in front of the palace, the Chinese built an excellent fountain, which attracts crowds of tourists and townspeople every evening. Tourists, having laid out their tripods, are trying to capture the beauty of the Potala at night, children are running under the streams of water, parents are running after their children, couples are secluded on benches, and the Chinese military and firefighters are vigilantly watching everything that happens :))

Photo 20.

Photo 21.

In the mountains of Tibet, at an altitude of 3700 meters, in the middle of the Lhasa Valley, the Potala Palace rises on a hill. For several centuries it was the residence of the Dalai Lamas and the Tibetan government.


The history of the palace goes back to the distant past. According to legend, there is a sacred cave here where the bodhisattva Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara), who is represented on Earth by the Dalai Lamas, lived. The Emperor of Tibet, Songtsen Gempo, often meditated in this cave. Since the place was considered sacred, the emperor decided to build a palace on the hill and declare this place his capital. And this happened back in the 7th century AD. Unfortunately, many buildings were built of wood, so in the 8th century they burned down due to lightning. Little remains of the former palace. But the cave was well preserved, and this place, as before, was considered holy.

In the middle of the 17th century, on the initiative of the 5th Dalai Lama, construction began on the palace, which has survived to this day. In 1645-1648, the White Palace was built, which became the residence of the Dalai Lamas.



The White Palace contains the personal chambers of the Dalai Lama, the living quarters of the regent and mentor of the Dalai Lama, government offices and a library containing Buddhist scriptures. The seminary and printing house are also located here. Official ceremonies were held in the Great Eastern Pavilion.



Second integral part The Potala Palace is the Red Palace, which was built in 1690-1694. They pray and perform religious rituals there.

The Red Palace houses eight memorial stupas in which the Dalai Lamas are buried. In addition, there are many large and small halls. They are dedicated to Buddhas, Bothisattvas and Dalai Lamas. There are halls for audiences and various ceremonies. They display jewelry and relics, statues of deities and Dalai Lamas, books and ritual objects.



The Potala Palace was the residence of the Dalai Lamas until 1959 - that is, until the Chinese invasion of Tibet. The 14th Dalai Lama was forced to leave Tibet and seek asylum in India. We can say that the palace was very lucky. Unlike most Tibetan monasteries and temples, it was not destroyed by the Red Guards in the 1960s and 1970s. Probably because the Chinese government included the palace on the list of cultural monuments that require special state protection.

 

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