Lhasa - Potola Palace

The most amazing sight in Tibet - the Potola Palace, fortress of the Dalai Lamas	My first view of the Potola Palace, driving east on Luobu Linka Road	Potola Palace, Lhasa	View of the Potola Palace from the southwest
Massive Potola Palace	Potola Palace from the southeast	Eastern wall and tower of Potola Palace	Potola Palace, built as a fortress
The state apartments of the Dalai Lama on the top level	Khamadong Lam (Kangang Donglu)	Potola Palace - World Heritage Site	Potola Palace - World Heritage Site
Tourist entrance on the east side of the Potola Palace	Door handle on the tourist entrance	The Potola Palace is built on top of Marpo Ri (Red Mountain)	Altitude 3700m (12,100 ft)
Buildings around the base of Potola Hill	Potola Palace, 360m wide	The "White Palace" is for secular use	The "Red Palace" is for religious use
Potola Palace	The Potola in its present form was started in 1645 on the site occupied by another palace since 637 AD	Deyang Shar, the lower courtyard of the Potola Palace	Construction took place from 1645 to 1694
The Potola was built under Lozang Gyatso, the 5th Dalai Lama, but wasn't complete until 12 years after his death	Stairs leading up the side of the Potola Palace to the main entrance	East side of the Potola	Looking up at the Dalai Lama's state apartments high above
No donkeys to carry out of shape lowlanders to the top	Buildings around the lower courtyard	The climb to the top can be difficult due to the altitude	Structural feature to help protect the building from earthquakes
The main entrance to Potola Palace	At the first landing	Looking up at Potola Palace	The second stairway
A narrow stairway leading to a side entrance	Halfway up to the main entrance	The main entrance, Potola Palace	Looking west along the south side of Potola Palace from the main entrance to the White Palace
Like many Buddhist buildings, the entrance to the Potola is protected by the 4 guardian kings	Phakyepo, Heavenly King of the South (blue)	Chenmizang, Heavenly King of the West (red)	Yülkhorsung, Heavenly King of the North (yellow)
Yülkhorsung, Heavenly King of the East (white)	Other figures around the Heavenly (Guardian) Kings	Other figures around the Heavenly (Guardian) Kings	Main door to Potola Palace
Inner gate to Potola Palace	Inner gate to Potola Palace	Colorfully painted inner gate, just a taste of what is to come	Handle to the inner gate
Drum above the upper gate	Eastern patio with the White Palace	The Palace of the Dalai Lamas	Painted beams around the Eastern Patio
Eastern Patio of the Potola Palace	Entrance to the Palace of the Dalai Lama	No Photos Beyond This Point :(	....an amazing experience...but no photos
Exiting the north side of Potola Palace	Tibetan inscription at the Potola	Descending the north side of Potola Palace	Part of the Red Palace of the Potola, Lhasa
Northwestern towers, Potola Palace	Prayer flags, Potola Palace	Round tower, Potola Palace	The exit, Potola Palace
Prayer wheels on the Potola Palace kora route	Tibetan pilgrims prostrating, Potola Square	Prayer wheels on the Potola Palace kora route	Potola Palace under a blue sky
The Red Palace, Potola Palace. Amazing treasures inside	West end of Potola Palace	Southern facade Potola Palace	Potola Palace from the southwest
Prayer wheels around the outside of the Potola