Special Report: Get into Tibet>>>

With the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway on July 1, distant Lhasa, with its fabled Potala Palace reaching to the clouds, just got a whole lot closer.

Lhasa means "sacred land" in Tibetan, and Potala Palace, the architectural wonder in the center of Lhasa, is the symbol of the sacred land.

This massive palace, now a museum, was once the winter religious and political seat of Tibet.

Featuring the essence of ancient Tibetan architecture and art, the palace houses countless artifacts and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994.

Two Potala Palaces

The original Potala Palace was built in the seventh century, when the 33rd king of Tibet, Soongtsan Gampo, married Princess Wen Cheng of the Tang Dynasty in 641. He built the palace at the top of Red Hill in order to greet his bride. The Buddhists in Lhasa later named it Potala Palace, meaning the sacred land of Buddhism.

The original palace was severely damaged 400 years ago, ravaged by lightning, fire and war. The fifth Dalai Lama rebuilt the present 119-meter-high Potala Palace as his living quarters in 1645.

The building's style of construction and decoration differs from Buddhist temples in other parts of the mainland.

Although Tibetan Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism in other parts of the mainland all have their roots in Mahayana Buddhism, which spread from India to China in the first century, it developed in diverse directions.

Inside the palace

Inside the compound, the white buildings on either side of the entrance are known as the White Palace. The White Palace was used for secular functions. Facilities included administration offices, monks' dormitories, a seminary and the Dalai Lama's living quarters.

The walls were painted white to convey peace and quiet. Because of the sunshine in the chambers year-round, the East and West Chambers became the places where the Dalai Lamas lived, worked and studied. The furnishings are sumptuous and comfortable, reflecting the dignity of the Dalai Lamas.

The central building, the Red Palace, crimson in color, is used for religious purposes and has chapels, shrines and prayer halls. It also contains sacred scriptures, outstanding murals, and the gold-covered stupa tombs of eight Dalai Lamas.

Murals are an intrinsic part of the architecture of the Potala Palace. Every room, no matter how small, is decorated with vivid murals. The 698 murals along the painted second-floor corridor are the most extraordinary, depicting Buddhist stories and the unique scenery, customs and legends of ancient Tibet.

The view from the palace's roof and balconies is spectacular. Below lies Lhasa City and, beyond, the valley countryside and distant snow-capped Himalayan mountains.

Major renovation

The Central Government spent some 55 million yuan (US$6.88 million) to repair the palace between 1989 and 1994. The second phase of the repair work, costing 180 million yuan, started in 2002 and will last for five years.

Editor: Donald