Knowra Potala Palace Potala Palace A palace complex in Lhasa, Tibet, built on Marpo Ri and historically serving as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas. Its White Palace and Red Palace combine political, residential, and religious functions.
White Palace : The white-painted section of the Potala Palace that housed the Dalai Lamas’ living quarters and administrative offices. Its rooms and offices formed the complex’s residential and governmental center.
Songtsen Gampo : A seventh-century Tibetan king associated with the early expansion of the Tibetan Empire and the first palace on Marpo Ri. Tradition links an early palace on this hill to the seventh-century ruler.
Dalai Lama's residence : The living quarters used by the Dalai Lamas during their residence at the Potala Palace. These quarters made the palace a winter home as well as a ceremonial landmark.
UNESCO World Heritage Site : A cultural or natural site inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value. The palace gained international recognition through its inscription in 1994.
Red Palace : The red-painted section of the Potala Palace containing chapels, assembly halls, and stupas of past Dalai Lamas. Its sacred halls and memorial stupas distinguish it from the White Palace.
Lozang Gyatso : The Fifth Dalai Lama, who initiated construction of the present Potala Palace in the seventeenth century. His government began the palace’s major construction and made it a seat of rule.
Tibetan government : The institutions that governed Tibet, including the Ganden Phodrang administration based at the Potala Palace. Administrative offices in the White Palace supported government from the complex.
Tibetan diaspora : Tibetan communities living outside Tibet, formed through migration, exile, and displacement. For many in exile, the palace represents a homeland and a lost political center.
Marpo Ri : A hill in Lhasa on which the Potala Palace stands. The palace’s elevated site shapes its skyline, defenses, and ceremonial prominence.
Desi Sangye Gyatso : A Tibetan regent who continued construction of the Potala Palace after the death of the Fifth Dalai Lama. He oversaw completion of major parts of the complex and its memorial structures.
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