Located on the Red Hill in Lhasa , Tibet , the Potala Palace is 3,700 meters above sea level and covers an area of over 360,000 square meters, measuring 360 meters from east to west and 270 meters from south to north. The palace has 13 stories, and is 117 meters high. This ancient architectural complex is considered a model of Tibetan architecture.
There are grand palaces within palaces. The Potala stands so high that it resembles a magnificent castle in the heavens. The statues of King Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng are objects of worship. Among the eight tomb pagodas of the Dalai Lamas, the tomb of the fifth Dalai Lama is the most extravagant. It is 14 meters high. Eleven thousand ounces of gold were used in the gold plating, the designs and decorations all inlaid with diamonds and pearls as well as turquoise, agate, and coral stones.
The Potala Palace is a treasure and a treasure house, for it contains the golden handwritten Buddhist scriptures, valuable gifts from Chinese emperors, and a lot of priceless antiques. There are many colorful sculptures and paintings chronicling Buddhist folklore and ancient Tibetan life. The Potala Palace deserves the title of art gallery and museum; it is also a symbol of the wisdom and power of the Tibetan people.
