| Potala Palace is located on Marpo Ri Hill in Lhasa at an | | | | palace, and by 1645 it was virtually in ruins. In 1645 |
| altitude of 3700 meters (12,100 feet). The name | | | | the fifth Dalai Lama had the palace rebuilt and made |
| Potala seems to have been inspired by Mount | | | | it his residence. The palace soon became the center |
| Potalaka, said to have been home to Bodhisattva | | | | of Tibetan power and politics. Then the 13th Dalai |
| Avanlokitesvara.The palace served as the residence | | | | Lama added extensively to the palace and increased |
| of the Dalai Lamas until the 14th one moved to India. | | | | it to its current size of 32 acres. |
| The palace is now a museum, its doors open to the | | | | Potala Palace is magnificent, both in size and beauty. |
| general public. | | | | It's divided into two main sections, the White Palace |
| The palace was built by King Songtsen Gampo in 637 | | | | and the Red Palace. The former was the residence |
| as a place to receive his Tang wife Wen Cheng, but | | | | of the Dalai Lamas while daily administration was |
| it was done on a much smaller scale than the current | | | | carried out in the latter. |