The Potola was used as a meditation retreat by King Songtsen Gampo, who in 637 built the first palace there in order to greet his bride Princess Wen Cheng. Located in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, it was the primary residence of the Dalai Lamas until 1959, when the 14th Dalai Lama fled to Dharamsala (India) when the Chinese Red Army invaded Tibet. Today, the renamed "The Potola Palace" is a Chinese state museum, a popular tourist attraction and an UNESCO World Heritage site. This ancient architectural complex is considered a model of Tibetan architecture. Over the past three centuries, the palace gradually became a place where the Dalai Lama lived, worked, meditated and lead Tibetans in government and in Buddhism inspiration. On the last floor, lucky 13th, hang the photos of the past 13 Dalai Lamas; but not the present one, the 14th Dalai Lama. To visit the Potola, you must apply for a permit issued by the China government. If granted, you must join an organized tour group leaving Beijing.