Potala Palace Bùdálā Gōng 布达拉宫

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Potala Palace, in the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, has (deity) of compassion, Chenrezi, who is believed to dwell been the home of Tibet’s Dalai Lamas since 1642. on Potala Mountain in south India and to be embodied The palace has two thousand rooms. UNESCO in the Dalai Lamas. The Red Hill, 130 meters above Lhasa has declared the palace a World Heritage Site. and already sacred to Chenrezi, was chosen as the site. The Potala was also built as a fortress, thus expressing its dual religious and political function. So important was this palace that the death of the Da- huge structure that dominates the Tibetan lai Lama was kept secret for twelve years so that the palace capital of Lhasa, Potala Palace has been the could be finished without political interference. The fifth home of Tibet’s Dalai Lamas (the spiritual Dalai Lama and his successors are interred in sepulchers heads of Tibetan Buddhism) since 1642, when the unfin- in the palace. ished building was consecrated. It was built by the fifth The Potala consists of a huge central keep (secure inner Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lozang Gyamtsho (1617–1682), to fortress) painted maroon, the religious color, surrounded represent the cosmic mountain abode of the bodhisattva by the ancillary buildings of a white-painted palace,

Distant view of Potala Pal- ace, Lhasa, Tibet. The palace, now open to tourists, has two thousand rooms, numerous temples and shrines, and the private rooms of the Dalai Lamas. Photo by Joan Lebold Cohen.

View of Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet. The huge structure dominates the Tibetan capital and has been the home of Tibet’s Dalai Lamas (the spiritual heads of Tibetan Buddhism) since 1642. Photo by Joan Lebold Cohen.

representing the secular. This creates an effect of wings, so Further Reading that the whole edifice, with its golden roofs, seems to soar. Batchelor, S. (1987). The Tibet guide. London: Wisdom. The palace has two thousand rooms, numerous temples Dorje, G. (1996). Tibet handbook. Bath, U.K.: Trade & and shrines, and the private rooms of the Dalai Lamas, Travels Handbooks. now open to tourists. The United Nations Educational, Dowman, K. (1988). Power places of central Tibet. London: Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has de- Routledge & Kegan Paul. clared Potala a World Heritage Site. China claims to have Karmay, S. G. (1994). Secret visions of the fifth dalai lama. spent $6.7 million between 1989 and 1994 on renovations London: Serindia. of the palace. Richardson, H. (1994). Ceremonies of the Lhasa year. Lon- Michael KOWALEWSKI don: Serindia.

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Potala Palace Bùdálā Gōng ​布达拉宫

Potala Palace Bùdálā Gōng 布达拉宫