The Potala Palace Size report

The Potala Palace is located in the Red Mountains in the center of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. After being rebuilt in the 17th century, it was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959 and symbolized Tibetan Buddhism and its central role in the traditional administration of Tibet.

In 1961, the Potala Palace became one of the first batches of national key cultural relics protection units of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In 1994, the Potala Palace was listed as a World Heritage Site. The main building of the Potala Palace is the White House and the Red Palace.

The whole building has Tibetan style, more than 200 meters high, with 13 floors in appearance, but only 9 floors on the ground. Since it was built on the mountainside, the large area of stone walls stands like cliffs, making the building seem to be integrated with the hills and majestic. The Potala Palace has long been one of the most famous Chinese ancient buildings, and you can see its portrait on the RMB 50 note.

Architecture And Size Description

The east and west sides of the main building of the Potala Palace extend downward respectively and connect with the tall palace wall. The palace wall is 2 to 5 meters thick, 6 meters high, 4.4 meters wide at the bottom, and 2.8 meters wide at the top. The area enclosed by the palace wall belongs to the Potala Palace. The walls are all granite, the roof and window eaves are made of wood, and the walls under the eaves are decorated with gilt bronze ornaments. The pillars and beams are covered with bright colored paintings and ornate carvings. The architectural art of the Potala Palace is the most outstanding representative of the thousands of Tibetan Buddhist temples and palaces that combine architectural styles. It is a unique example in China and even the world.

The Potala Palace has 13 floors and a height of 117 meters (384 ft). It consists of the White House in the east and the Red Palace in the middle. In front of the Red Palace is a towering white wall for the Buddha drying platform, which is used to hang a large tapestry of Buddha statues on Buddhist festivals. The lower white frontage on the south side of the palace was used to hoist two gigantic thangkas joined, representing the figures of Tara and Sakyamuni during the Sertreng Festival on the 30th day of the second Tibetan month.

The Potala Palace Size

The Potala Palace is 3,700 meters (12,100 feet) above sea level, covering a total area of 360,000 square meters, with a total construction area of 130,000 square meters. The whole building measures 400 meters (1,300 ft) east-west and 350 meters (1,150 feet) north-south. At the same time, the main building is 117 meters (384 feet) high and has 13 floors, containing over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, about 200,000 statues, etc.

History of The Potala Palace

The Potala Palace (Administration Office of the Potala Palace in Tibet Autonomous Region) is located in the center of Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region. It is the highest ancient palace complex in the world, integrating palaces, castles, and monasteries. The main building of the Potala Palace is the White House and the Red Palace. The palace is more than 200 meters high, with 13 floors on the outside and 9 floors on the inside. In front of the Potala Palace is the Potala Palace Square, which is also the highest city square in the world. The special value of Tibetan social history, culture, and religion has made it a world-famous scenic spot.

According to historical records: in the 1930s of the 7th century AD, the thirty-third generation of Tubo Zanpu Songtsan Gampo moved the capital to Lhasa, and the Potala Palace was built as the royal palace. Songtsan Gampo divided the administrative area here, divided the official system and legislative laws, strengthened the economic and cultural exchanges between the Tubo and the surrounding ethnic groups, and promoted the prosperity of the Tubo society. The Potala Palace became the unified political center of the Tubo Dynasty, and its status was very prominent. In the ninth century AD, with the disintegration of the Tubo Dynasty, the Potala Palace was neglected.

During the more than 800 years from the ninth century to the middle of the seventeenth century, the political center of Tibet continued to change. Still, the regimes of the past dynasties never set up their capital in Lhasa, and the Potala Palace has never been rebuilt. It is only a part of the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa. A place of religious activity. Famous figures from different sects have held Buddhist activities such as lecturing and preaching the Dharma here.

In 1642, the fifth Dalai Lama established the local government of Ganden Phodrang, which unites state and religion. Lhasa has once again become the central city of Tibet's politics, religion, culture, and economy. In 1645, the Fifth Dalai Lama decided to rebuild the Potala Palace. In 1648, a building complex with the theme of the White House was basically completed, and the administrative office was moved from the Drepung Monastery to the White House of the Potala Palace. Since then, the Potala Palace has become an important place for Dalai Lamas to live, conduct religious activities and handle administrative affairs.

Final Words

The design, layout, materials, craftsmanship, decoration, etc., of the existing Potala Palace have all preserved the original historical conditions of significant additions, expansions, and reconstructions since its establishment in the 7th century. For more than 300 years, the Potala Palace has collected and preserved a large number of historical relics, including more than 2,500 square meters of murals, nearly a thousand pagodas, tens of thousands of statues, and tens of thousands of thangkas. There are also precious scriptures such as the Bayeux and Kanyur Sutras, as well as many gold and silver products, porcelain, enamel Artifacts, jade, brocade forgings, and craft antiques. These cultural relics are colorful and rich in themes.