The Potala Palace

The Red Hill – to the northwest of Lhasa, the capital of Tibet constitutes the heart of the Buddhist tibetanos, like TM, Putuo where the Bodhisattva lives. For that reason it is llanado Potala (Putuo, in local language), the well-known and famous Potala Palace rises on this hill, complying to the terrain relief, from the base to the highest top.

One says that on the occasion of the arrival of princess Wen Cheng, of the imperial family Tang, tibetano king Sontsan Gampo commanded to construct to this magnificent palace of thousand rooms and pavilions. It went in century VII a. n. e. it designated and it with the name whereupon today is known it. Later, with the exitinción of the kingdom Tube, most of the old constructions were destroyed by the war. In the century XVII, when the Qing court granted to Dalai Lama V Ia headquarters of the tibetana administration, it was this one that in 1845 d .n e. it ordered the reconstruction of the palace. To his they widened it successors until turning it into the imposing building of today.

The main part has 13 floors, and it extends from the foot of the hill to the summit of this one. It includes the White Palace, in the Eastern part, that served as room of study and dormitory of Dalai Lama; the Red Palace, in the central part, destined to the reading of sutras búdicos, and a hall for stupa in which the mortal rest of the Dalai Lamas of diverse times are conserved. To the west, are the dormitories of white color destined to the bonzos of confidence that served the Dalai. In front of the Red Palace, there is a white wall where in holidays the great picture of Buddha is exhibited.

Sacred place of the Buddhist tibetanos, numerous pilgrims and tourists go there every year. The visit begins on the foot of the hill, where there is a wake without inscriptions. One promotes by zigzagueantes perrons and stone covers until arriving at the Door of the East, where they appear the efigies of the four Gods guardians.

In the middle of the slope a terrace of 1 600 ms extends ². It is the place where the Dalai Lamas attended during the religious festivales spectacles of song and dance. When raising the stairs and passing the Dasonggekuo gallery are arrived to the Great Hall the East located in the White Palace.

According to historical registries, year 1653, Shunzhi emperor of the Qing dynasty gave in concession to Dalai Lama V gold laminae recorded with imperial decrees and seals of the appraised metal. Since then the election of the young reincarnation of Dalai Lama passed away must officially be approved by the central Government. The courteous tibetanos preside over the ceremony of enthronement and the assumption to the administration of Dalai Lama. For that reason it is place of extreme political and religious importance.

In the Red Palace eight exist stupa, greatest and known it contains the rest of Dalai Lama V. According to registries, 95 kg of gold were inscrutados in this stupa.

The Great Hall the West is the sanctuary where is Dalai Lama V, greatest is the Red Palace. In him a board with the inscription is conserved “ Yong Liang Chu Di " (Sacred Center of the Buddhism), written by Qianlong emperor, and two immense curtains of embroidered brocade, flattered to Dalai Lama by Kangxi emperor (1622-1721). One says that to make it kangxi ordeó to establish a special factory, where the works lasted a year. From the Hall the West and crossing the painting gallery it is arrived at the Qujiezhupu chapel (the grotto where king Sontsan Gampo perfected itself in Buddhist Doctrina). She is one of the oldest constructions. It dates from century VII. In their interior statues of Sontsan Gampo are conserved and princess Wen Cheng and other courteous ones.

In the highest room of the Red Palace called Shasonglangjie, a picture is exhibited and small boards of Qianglong emperor, of the Qing dynasty, From century VII, every year, the third day of the first tibetano month, Dalai Lama went there to honor and to express its fidelity to the emperor.

The Potala Palace is not only one structures colossal of wood and stone. It has a rich cultural content. Its peculiarity always leaves in sees that it, a deep impression. The wall with granite, the trapezial wood ceilings, windows, eaves of corners raised towards the sky, the innumerable adornments of gold and bronze, as well as floreros, fish makara and diverse birds, in harmonious combination, emphasize the magnificencia of the Palace. The fresh mural known like Artistic Gallery, is a fine landscape that registers the development of the tibetano buddhism and the daily life of Dalai Lama V and the history of princess Wen Cheng. Also the diverse styles of the classic architecture of Tibet and great amount of Buddhist images that constitute a very valuable historical painting roll.

The Potala Palace is sacred. When it is mentioned to him suggests Tibet naturally. This palace crystallizes the wisdom of the working town of the high plateau, and through that old construction, the mestization of the cultures tibetana and has.,

The imposing aspect of the Potala, as well as the tibetano buddhism an authentic symbol of the local ethnic group constitutes everything.