Potala Palace
At our 5 star resorts in Spain Asia Gardens Hotel Thai & Spa we keep travelling around Asia to discover the hidden details of its culture. Today we are taking you to China, in particular to Tibet, to talk to you about one of its most important monuments: the Potala Palace.
The Potala Palace, which is also known as the second Putuo Mountain, is the ultimate expression of the Tibetan architecture. It is the chief residence of the Dalai Lama. It was built on Red Mountain in the centre of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, at an altitude of 3,700 metres. It is the highest ancient palace in the world.
It was built in the 7th century by order of the Tibetan king Sontsan Gampo. He requested its construction for the Princess Wen Cheng from the dynasty Tang. Centuries later, after being destroyed by several wars, it was rebuilt by the fifth Dalai Lama Lozang Gyatso in 1648. Potala Palace was the residence of Dalai Lama until 1950, when the 14th and current Dalai fled to India after the Chinese invasion.
All the stones used for its construction had to be carried by donkeys or on the backs of the 7,000 workers.
Potala Palace measures more than 410,000 square meters and goes up to the height of 115 meters. It encloses the White Palace or Portang Karpo, in the eastern part, which makes up the living quarters of Dalai Lama. The Red Palace or Potrang Marpo is the highest part in the centre. It is used to keep the stupas or funeral monuments of Dalai Lamas of different periods. In front of the Red Palace there is a white wall where a large portrait of Buddha is shown on holidays.
Tibetan Buddhists conceived it as a sacred place. Thousands of travellers and tourists visit it every year. In 1994 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you want to live a 100% Asian experience, come see us at the luxury hotel in Spain Asia Gardens Hotel Thai & Spa. Let yourself pour into Asian luxury!
