Potala Palace Tibet

Potala Palace, Lhasa

You can see the Potala from every approach to Lhasa. It rises 13 storeys on Marpo Ri (Red Hill), a white and ochre mass that dominates the Tibetan capital’s skyline regardless of where you are standing. The palace covers 130,000 square metres, contains over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and 200,000 statues, and separates into the White Palace (administrative quarters, winter residence of the Dalai Lamas) and the Red Palace (chapels and tombs). Construction of the present structure began in 1645 under the Fifth Dalai Lama and took fifty years to complete. It served as the seat of the Tibetan government and the Dalai Lamas’ principal residence until 1959, when the 14th Dalai Lama fled to India via the Norbulingka Palace gardens.

UNESCO inscribed the Potala in 1994, later expanding the listing to cover the Jokhang Temple and Norbulingka.

Visiting the Palace

Daily visitor numbers are capped at around 2,300 and tickets require advance booking with real-name reservation – secure yours 8 to 10 weeks ahead. The Tibetan Tourism Bureau controls the quota and allocation. For foreign visitors, this almost always means booking through a licensed Chinese travel agency, which handles both the Tibet Travel Permit (separate from a standard Chinese visa) and the ticket logistics. Independent access to Tibet as a foreigner is subject to periodic restrictions that change based on political conditions; confirm current status before planning.

Altitude in Lhasa is 3,650 metres. The acclimatisation advice is not precautionary padding: most guided itineraries schedule the Potala visit after one or two days in the city for this reason. The climb to the palace entrance involves significant elevation gain, and the interior tour – which follows a set route lasting 1 to 1.5 hours – includes many steps. Photography inside the palace is prohibited in most sections.

The most impressive object inside is the Fifth Dalai Lama’s stupa in the Red Palace: 14 metres high, encased in approximately 3,700 kg of gold. Eight Dalai Lama tomb stupas are in the palace in total; the Fifth’s is by far the largest.

Lhasa Sites

Jokhang Temple is the most sacred site in Tibet, at the centre of the Barkhor – the circular pilgrimage route around which the old city is organised. The circuit, always walked clockwise, is active from early morning until after dark, with pilgrims completing prostrations, spinning prayer wheels, and making offerings at the shrines. The smoke from butter lamps and the sound of prayer mantras make this one of the most atmospheric urban spaces in Asia. Go early, go slowly, and expect to be moved.

Sera Monastery, about 5 km north of the Potala, is known for its monastic debate sessions held in the courtyard on weekday afternoons. The format – sharp hand claps to emphasise logical points, rapid back-and-forth questioning – is theatrical and entirely serious. Visitors can observe from the perimeter.

Norbulingka, 2 km west of the Potala, is the former summer palace of the Dalai Lamas, a park complex of gardens and pavilions now open to the public.

Where to Eat

Makye Ame on the southeast corner of Barkhor Square serves Tibetan food in a traditional wooden building with views over the square. Momos (dumplings) and thukpa (noodle soup) are reliable. The ground-floor restaurants around the Barkhor are cheaper and serve mainly the local pilgrim population, which is where you want to be.

Yak butter tea (po cha) is salty, thick, and not sweet. Chang (barley beer) is mild and common. Both are better tried at a local teahouse than at a tourist restaurant.

Where to Stay

Shangri-La Hotel Lhasa is the main international-standard luxury option, about 2 km from the Potala. Gang-Gyan Hotel and Kyichu Hotel are well-regarded mid-range options closer to the Jokhang. Budget guesthouses cluster around the Barkhor area.

All accommodation for foreign visitors must be booked through or approved by a licensed Tibet travel agency. Arriving independently and finding a hotel without prior arrangement does not work.