Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Drepung Monastery in 2014

Potala Palace, Jokang Temple, Drepung Monastery in 2014

Potala Palace is located in the western area of Lhasa City and acted as the highest palace throughout the world. The top of the highest hall of Potala Palace is about 3767 meters. It is not only the symbol of mysterious Lhasa but also the achivement of Tibetan people.

Potala Palace was firstly built in 740s during the period of Songtsen Gampo, which is proud of 1730-year history. It consists of 13 floors in the palace with more than 1000 rooms and divided into famous White Palace and Red Palace. The whole construction is built by the stone-wood structure.

Jokhang Temple was actually available at the center of old Lhasa town and also called Tsulakhang (in Tibetan language, it means the scripture hall). Being for 1300-year history, it was fistly built in 647 during the Tang Dynasty. It is the most ancient temple in Lhasa. It is not only the best consturction of Tubo Dynasty that preserved well till now but also the earlitest civil structure in Tibet history.

Drepung Monastery was constucted in the western area of Lhasa City in 1416 by the deciples of Tsongkhapa, the founder of Gelug Sect. It covers an area of 25000 square meters that acted as the largest monastery of Gelug Sect but also the largest one in Tibet. It looks so magnificant like a great palace with lots of roadways inside, as well as large numbers of Buddha statues. You can have a sightseeing of Lhasa River Valley standing at the top of Drepung Monastery. Before the establishment of Potala Palace, it was the place where Dalai Lama lives. In AD 1642, the 5th Dalai Lama built local political government in Drepung Monastery that acted as the symbol of the unification of the state and the church. Even though the unification center of the state and the church moved to Potala Palace later, Drepung Monastery is still one fo the top 3 largest and most powerful monasteries in Tibet.