Potala Palace - Lhasa, Tibet

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The Potala Palace was the winter palace of the Dalai Lama.  Since 1959, the Dalai Lama lives in exile in India.

150 monks live and work in the Red Palace area.  The White area is for administration.  There are over 1000 rooms and 10,000 chapels in the complex.  It is 115 meters high with 13 stories.

Buddhism started in the 5th Century.  In the 7th Century it was united in Lhasa with the help of the Mongolian Army.  Since the 7th Century, the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet. 

Tibet was annexed (via military action) into China in 1951.  The Tibetans were allowed to worship their religion after the annexation.  The Chinese have not allowed the Dalai Lama to return.

Click on a picture to enlarge.

Our first view of Potala Palace as we got off the bus Potala Palace Pilgrims prostrating themselves in from of the palace Pilgrims prostrating themselves in from of the palace Pilgrims in front of the palace Pilgrims prostrating themselves in from of the palace Pilgrims in the parking lot Pilgrim in the parking lot Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Painting on a rock by the entrance Inside the palace Inside the palace Inside the palace Inside the palace Inside the palace Inside the palace Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Potala Palace as we walked through the complex Painting on the rocks View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace View from the top of the palace lightbox gallery cmsby VisualLightBox.com v6.1