Brief description: The Potala Palace, an administrative, religious and political complex,
is built on the Red Mountain in the centre of the Lhasa valley, at an altitude
of 3700 metres. The complex comprises the White Palace and the Red Palace,
with their ancillary buildings. The Potala, winter palace of the Dalai
Lama since the 7th century A.D., symbolises Tibetan Buddhism and its central
role in the traditional administration in Tibet. The beauty and originality
of its architecture, its ornate decoration and its harmonious integration
in a striking landscape add to its historic and religious interest.
