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What’s Inside Potala Palace? Journey through Tibet’s Greatest Architectural Wonder
As the symbol of Tibet, the Potala Palace draws countless global travelers to stand in awe before the world’s highest and largest palace on the Roof of the World. Apart from its iconic fortress-like look, the Potala Palace inside offers you a fascinating glimpse into the mysterious lives of generations of past Dalai Lamas, the legends of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo, and a treasure trove of Tibetan Buddhism.
So, in this travel guide, please join us to delve into Tibet’s most iconic landmark, exploring the grand architecture of the Potala Palace and discovering the hidden gems inside this legendary architecture.
What Type of Architecture Is the Potala Palace Known for? Fortress-like Palace
What Does Potala Palace Consist of? Red Palace, White Palace, Shol, Backyard Garden
Delve into the Red Palace: The Spiritual Heart of Potala Palace
Explore the White Palace: Where Former Dalai Lamas Came to the Throne, Worked, and Lived
With More Time, Uncover Tibet’s Past in Shol Village Below the Potala Palace
After Exploring Potala Palace Insider, Don’t Forget the Serene Potala Backyard Garden
What Type of Architecture Is the Potala Palace Known for? Fortress-like Palace
Perched high on Red Hill, the Potala Palace (3,700m) has a sweeping view over the sacred city of Lhasa and features fortress-like architecture that perfectly blends traditional Tibetan and Han Chinese styles.
As you stand before the Potala Palace, you will notice that the entire palace is surrounded by thick stone walls, which are around 2 to 5 meters thick. While most of the buildings have flat roofs, the top of the Potala Palace is made of gabled roofs with gleaming golden bronze tiles and ornaments, a clear influence of Han Chinese design.
Besides, you will also see many decorative windows, small and big, with black and white curtains on the outer walls, and striking Z-shaped stone staircases that wind up the hillside to the palace entrance. These unique designs give the Potala Palace its iconic and awe-inspiring appearance. In addition, the entire Potala Palace is painted in bold white and deep red colors that constantly remind you of its supreme political and spiritual significance in Tibet.
What is worth mentioning is that the Potala Palace was originally built by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo in the 7th century using stone, wood, and rammed earth. It has undergone many expansions and renovations, especially under the 5th Dalai Lama, and finally evolved into the world’s largest and highest palace, and a UNESCO World Heritage site we see today.
The Potala Palace now rises over 115 meters high and covers over 130,000 m², with more than 1,000 rooms filled with ancient murals, golden stupas, Buddhist statues, scriptures, and sacred relics that reflect Tibet’s deep spiritual and cultural heritage. Learn the history of Potala Palace.
Our guests took photos with the majestic Potala Palace on Potala Palace Square in Lhasa.
Explore iconic Potala Palace and other Tibet's landmark attractions in Lhasa in 4 days.
What Does Potala Palace Consist of? Red Palace, White Palace, Shol, Backyard Garden
The massive Potala Palace complex mainly consists of four parts: the Red Palace, the White Palace, the Shol Village, and its Backyard Garden (Zongjiao Lukang Park).
Red Palace serves as the spiritual heart of the Potala Palace, and you can easily recognize it by its striking red walls. As the best highlights of the Potala Palace tour, the Red Palace is mainly dedicated to religious and spiritual purposes. It is home to holy funeral stupas of the past eight Dalai Lamas and a string of precious Buddhist chapels and halls, and countless Buddhist treasures.
Connected to the Red Palace, the White Palace once served as the living quarters and administrative offices of the past Dalai Lamas. Here, you can visit the their living room, audience halls, and former Tibetan government offices where the past Dalai Lama conducted daily affairs. This part gives you a rare glimpse into the mysterious life of the past Dalai Lamas.
Nestled at the southern foot of Red Hill stands Shol Village, which used to include the official residences, a printing house, barracks, stables, and even a prison. Today, it serves as a small museum beneath Potala Palace, displaying Tibet’s past slavery history and some of Potala Palace’s greatest treasures in the Treasure Hall.
Besides, right behind the Potala Palace lies its serene backyard garden, Zongjiao Lukang Park. Legend has it that when the 5th Dalai Lama was expanding the Potala Palace, earth was dug out here to rebuild the Potala, which eventually formed a beautiful lake. Today, the park is a favorite hangout for locals. After completing the Potala kora (pilgrimage circuit), many come here to relax with a cup of Tibetan sweet tea, go boating, watch birds, exercise, or enjoy traditional Guozhuang dancing in the morning. A local gem highly recommended! Learn more about the Potala Palace surroundings.
Explore majestic Potala Palace and other secluded Tibetan monasteries around Lhasa City.
BTW, the correct order to tour the Potala Palace is as follows: first, enter Potala Palace through the eastern gate; next, pass Shol Village; then, hike the Z-shaped long stone staircase to explore the White Palace, followed by the Red Palace; and finally, exit to visit the peaceful backyard garden, Zongjiao Lukang Park.
(click to enlarge it, photo credit: JohnDoe)The correct travel route for visiting the Potala Palace.
Delve into the Red Palace: The Spiritual Heart of Potala Palace
The Red Palace is located at the very center and highest part of the Potala Palace. You can follow the rooftop corridors from the White Palace to reach the Red Palace and begin your exploration from the top to the ground floor.
Inside, the Red Palace is like a maze filled with sacred chapels, big and small, entirely devoted to religious rituals, meditation, and worship of the stupas (tombs) of the past 8 Dalai Lamas. Among these holy chapels, four places are believed to be the most sacred and a must-see for travelers as follows:
At the very top of the Red Palace sits its most sacred chapel: the Chapel of Victory over the Three Worlds. Inside, you’ll find a golden statue of the thousand-armed Buddha of Compassion, the most precious treasure of the Potala Palace. The centerpiece Thangka (Buddhist scrolls) shows Emperor Qianlong in a monk’s robes, with blessings for his long life written in Tibetan, Chinese, Mongolian, and Manchurian.
In the northwestern corner of the Red Palace’s third floor, you will discover one of Potala’s oldest treasures: the small Cave Chapel of Phakpa Lhakhang (Arya Lokeshvara). Dating back to the 7th century, it was once used by the Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo for meditation and religious practice. Inside, you will see a priceless sandalwood statue of Arya Lokeshvara, along with statues of Songtsen Gampo and other renowned Tibetan Buddhist masters.
Continue your adventure by climbing a steep ladder to the second floor of the Red Palace. There, you will find a narrow corridor leading to King Songtsen Gampo’s Meditation Chamber (Chogyal Drupuk), one of the oldest rooms in the Potala Palace, along with the Phakpa Lhakhang chapel above. Inside this secret chamber, you will see statues of the great king himself, his Chinese wife Princess Wencheng, his Nepali wife Princess Bhrikuti, and key ministers of the Tibetan Empire. Learn the story of Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng.
Finally, as you reach the ground floor of the Red Palace, you will step into the stunning Great West Hall, the largest hall in the entire Potala Palace. Just off its west wing is one of the top highlights of your Potala Palace tour: the grand stupa of the Fifth Dalai Lama, who led the expansion of the Potala Palace.
His massive 14.84-meter-tall stupa is the largest in the palace, dazzling with 3.7 tons of pure gold and over 20,000 precious stones, including coral, pearls, and turquoise. The sacred vibes, priceless treasures, and deep reverence local Tibetans show to the Fifth Dalai Lama will truly leave you in awe.
The stunning gold stupa of the fifth Dalai Lama, adorned with priceless stones in the Red Palace.
Visit Lhasa and Shigatse, two of the biggest cities in Tibet, home to the present Potala Palace and its prototype, Shigatse Dzong.
Explore the White Palace: Where Former Dalai Lamas Came to the Throne, Worked, and Lived
After you enter the Potala Palace and hike up 1080 stone staircases, you will reach the large external eastern courtyard (Deyang Shar) of the White Palace. It used to be the place where Tibetan opera, Tibetan Cham dance, and other religious ceremonies were performed.
As you line up here to enter the White Palace, don’t miss the golden handprints of the fifth Dalai Lama on the wall to the left and murals to the north depicting Songtsen Gampo’s original Potala, the construction of the Jokhang Temple, and the transfer of the Sakyamuni statue there.
The first room you will visit in the White Palace is the Throne Room, where former Dalai Lamas were formally enthroned as the spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism and received official guests. You will see his grand throne and fine murals showing the mythical paradise of Shambhala.
You may also explore the past Dalai Lamas’ private rooms where they once meditated, rested, studied, and spent their daily life. It’s a perfect place to take a sneak peek into the religious and secular life of the past Dalai Lamas here.
Our guests took photos at the eastern courtyard before entering the White Palace.With More Time, Uncover Tibet’s Past in Shol Village Below the Potala Palace
Shol Village is a cluster of whitewashed buildings at the foot of the Potala Palace. It's a popular photo spot, and most travelers would snap a selfie here with the majestic palace towering behind them before climbing the stone steps up to the White Palace.
In the past, Shol Village housed key offices of the former Tibetan government, including the court, printing house, and Tibetan army headquarters. There were also workshops, stables, warehouses, a prison, and other facilities that offer you a glimpse into Tibet’s past.
Today, Shol Village has been carefully restored. With time permitting, you can roam over its popular Treasure Hall, where you can appreciate the lavish Thangkas (religious scroll paintings) embroidered with gold and silk, exquisite Buddhist statues, and the past Dalai Lama’s personal belongings, including seals, ceremonial robes, and gifts from Chinese emperors and beyond.
Our guests took photos with the lofty Potala Palace in the Shol Village beneath the Potala.After Exploring Potala Palace Insider, Don’t Forget the Serene Potala Backyard Garden
A Potala Palace tour is incomplete if you finish touring the Potala Palace, yet forget to explore its serene backyard garden, Zongjiao Lukang Park.
Now, as a popular park in Lhasa for locals to hang out and relax, the Zongjiao Lukang Park offers you a perfect place to capture the backside of the grand Potala Palace reflected in the shimmering lake, surrounded by weeping willows and exquisite Tibetan temples, and small bridges.
Many local Tibetan pilgrims come here to relax after walking the Potala kora (pilgrimage), enjoying Tibetan sweet tea and Tibetan noodles. You'll see young and old joining in cheerful Guozhuang dances, families boating on the lake, having picnics, doing morning exercises, or simply watching the wild birds flutter around.
The striking contrast between the sacred grandeur inside the Potala Palace and the peaceful life, everyday devotion found in the Potala Palace backyard garden offers you a more enriching Tibet travel experience, one that brings your soul closer to the true heartbeat of Tibet..
Our guests capture the backside of Potala Palace in the Zongjiao Lukang Park.
Explore ancient Lhasa city and keep traveling overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu with our smooth border transfer.
More Insider Tips for Discovering the Potala Palace Inside
As you enter the interior halls and chapels of the Potala Palace, photography and video recording are strictly forbidden. You also need to remove your hats or sunglasses to show your respect to Buddhist deities and religious leaders of Tibetan Buddhism.
If you visit Potala Palace in summer, please dress modestly. No skimpy costumes and sleeveless tops. You can wear comfortable sports shoes, which are best for long hikes. Besides, bring a light jacket because inside the Potala Palace is cool even in summer.
Besides, to protect the ancient structure and manage crowds, each visitor is only allowed one hour to tour the inner halls of the Potala Palace. Your ticket will have a specific entry time, and you must arrive punctually and closely follow your guide in the maze of chapels inside.
What’s more, reaching the White Palace requires hiking up hundreds of stone steps at high altitude (3,700m). It’s not a race, walk slowly and take your time to rest. We suggest that you arrange your Potala Palace tour on the third day tour in Lhasa, as you may have already acclimatized to the altitude and thin air here. Learn how to avoid altitude sickness in Tibet.
Inside the Potala Palace, you will see tons of Buddhist treasures and statues and religious items, and sacred stupas. Please don’t touch these holy statues, offerings, or murals, and lower your voice to show your respect. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach our local experts for help.
Our local experts are guiding our guests on the Potala Palace.
Visit awe-inspiring Potala Palace and the old quarter of Lhasa, and enjoy an uplifting day tour to turquoise Yamdrok Lake near Lhasa.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, the Potala Palace is an architectural marvel that is worth your visit time and time again for new discoveries. From the sacred chapels of Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and mind-blowing past Dalai Lama gold stupas in the Red Palace to the intriguing living quarters of the past Dalai Lama’s White Palace, every corner tells a story and will leave you spellbound.
If you have more questions about Potala Palace or the Tibet tour, don’t hesitate to email us for free and expert travel solutions. Looking forward to showing you the authentic Tibetan travel experience on the Roof of the World. Tashi Delek!
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