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Hidden from the worldly bustle and noise high mountains globe Tibet since ancient manits travelers. This is one of ancient states The world with its unusual charter and orders, richest history and cultural heritage. And it is not surprising that it is in Tibet that the highest castle complex in the world is - Potala Palace. He received its name in the 11th century due to the grief on which it is located. It is called ENTU, according to legend, it was here for the first time a bodhisattva of Avalokiteshwara appeared, which is considered to be an embodiment of the great compassion of all enlightened (Buddha).
Story of the construction of the palace
For the first time Potala Palace was erected in the second half of the 7th century at an altitude of almost four thousand meters above sea level by the Tufan ruler of the Sronzanzangamp, as the main imperial residence for him and his newly minted spouse Princess Wencheng. Before that, there were already caves for meditation. The entire palace complex, consisting of thousands of halls and rooms, was surrounded by a high fortress wall, and it was possible to enter it through four gates.
During the strongest thunderstorm, most of the wooden buildings of the palace were increasing with lightning.
Only in the middle of the 17th century Dalai Lama V Agvan Lobsan Jamzo decided to fully restore the former grandeur of the palace. As a result, arose grand Complex With inner courtyards, wide stone stairs, chapels, fenced with high walls and occupying an area of \u200b\u200babout three hundred and sixty thousand square meters.
Architecture and interiors
In this reconstruction, about seven thousand builders were involved and another and a half thousand sculptors and artists who created unique statues and sculpture compositions. The central place among them is the statue of the Potala, fully covered with gold and weighing half-bottom. In addition, silver, precious stones and a tree of valuable breeds were widely used in the construction and decoration of the palace.
The fact that Potala Palace is one of the main symbols of Tibet, a treasury of cultural and spiritual heritage of the country, as well as the greatest architectural monument region, contributed to the fact that in 1994 this complex was included in the list of world cultural heritage UNESCO. Today, he is a residence of the Dalai Lama, the place of the most important religious rites and one of the most interesting museums World.
How to visit
The palace for tourists from 9:00 to 17:00, and in the summer months from 7:30. On the day it can be examined by a little more than two thousand people, mainly this group of tourists who bought tickets in advance. As a rule, immediately after closing instantly bought entry tickets The next day, their cost is about $ 11 per person (June 2012).
Palace Potala in TibetPotala Palace is the highest ancient castle in the world, located at a height of 3767 meters. Potala Palace is a huge Buddhist temple complex, occupying 360 thousand m 2 and consisting of two parts: a red palace, like a center, and the White Palace, like two wings. The Palace is 115 meters away - it is 13 floors.Potted several centuries was the main residence of Tibetan Dalai Lama. Now this sacred place attracts thousands of pilgrims and tourists to him. Located on Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Potala - the largest monumental structure in all Tibet, ancient palace Mira. The word "Potala" means "Mystical Mountain".
Once in the walls of this huge palace, surrounded by silence and calm, recreated the religious ruler of Tibet. The centuries-old calm was violated in 1959 by the invasion of Chinese troops in Tibet, as a result of which Dalai Lama XIV was forced to leave the country and received political asylum in India, where it is still.
The first building on the site of the current palace was built in 637 Tibet's king Songzen Gampo, who decided to build a small palace over the cave F-Wan, where he usually meditated. After some time, the king came to mind the idea to make Lhasa with the capital, so on the site of the old building, a large palace was erected, which significantly expanded after Songscene Gampo wound with the Chinese princess Wen Cheng- By order of the king, the building of the palace was expanded to 999 rooms, and the high walls with the towers were built around it and rolled up the bypass canal.
Unfortunately, since almost everything in those days was built from a tree, who was not an exception to the palace could not survive a strong thunderstorm in the second half of the 7th century, during which Zipper got into it, and the fire began to burn all the wooden buildings. What remains of the palace has finally equalized the Earth's Earth Wars - only the Pabalakan Hall and Fa-Wan Cave lived to our time..
Palace Potala, who we see today, began to be built only in 1645, during the reign of the fifth Dalai Lama.k 1648 the White Palace was built. Red Palace, added in 1694. More than 7,000 workers and 1500 artists and artisans worked on its construction. In 1922, the 13th Dalai Lama repaired many chapels and halls in the White Corps and made changes to red.
After completion in 1648, the White Palace was placed here the Winter Residence of the Dalai Lama. In the solar pavilion of the White Palace, the ruler lived and worked, and in the Great Eastern Pavilion received guests and conducted a solemn ceremony. White walls symbolize peace and quiet. The halls are decorated with beautiful frescoes and paintings. There is also a statue of Potala, the most respected artifact attracting thousands of Tibetan tourists. It is completely covered with a gravy gold total weight of 550 kg. and inlated in a tent of thousands of precious stones. The remaining burial stupas, significantly inferior in size, but also decorated with a huge amount of gold and jewels.
The Great Eastern Hall on the fourth floor of 725 m.KV. There was a venue for important religious and political ceremonies.From three sides he is surrounded by three chapels: in the east, in the north and in the south. The caves of Dharma and Holy Chapel are the only preserved buildings of the VII century with the statues of Songscene Gampo, Princess Wen Cheng and Princess Bhrikuti inside.
The heart of the complex is the Red Corps (which was built from 1690 to 1694) - the highest part in the center. This part is fully devoted to religious education and Buddhist prayers. The building consists of a variety of halls, chapels and libraries on several levels with gallery and winding corridors. Richly decorated with painting, precious stones and carvings, it contains several temples and tombs of eight past Dalai Lam, including Pagoda from 200,000 pearls.
Palace Potala occupies the entire hill on which it is located. The property is a huge structure stretched to the entire hill, still amazes both travelers and tourists and Buddhist and pilgrims themselves.
In the set of halls are stored innumerable treasures, there are stupes of Dalai Lam and many high teachers, many buddhas and deities. Particularly impressive volumetric tantric mandalas:
Samvara-Mandala
Gushiasamadja Mandala
Yamantaka Mandala
Kalachakra Mandala
Schools of Buddhist logic, seminary, typography, gardens, yards and even prison are in Potala. For more than 300 years, the ancient palace keeps many cultural relics, such as frescoes, stupes, statues, tanks and rare sutras. Of particular importance is the Fa-Wan cave, in which even before the construction of the building was read by the sacred texts of the king Songszn Gampo.
In 1994, Potala Palace was listed World Heritage UNESCO and named one of the new seven wonders of the world. Today, the complex is visited daily by thousands of Tibetan pilgrims and travelers from around the world.
And so Potala looks at night
The main and central part of the complex is represented by the White Palace (Pocong Karpo) in the East and Red (Pochang Marto) - in the West.
Palace Potala created as a symbol of Tibetan statehood. This happened in those times when the country was rallied by the management of Buddhist Dalai Lam.
To finally exalt over all the mortal already tall palace, which is also high in the mountains, he is named after Tibet's patron saint, the Buddhist Divine Avalokiteshwar, the mythical palace in the south of India, which was on top of the mountain, on the coast Indian Ocean (In Chinese Buddhism - Pueto parades on the island in the East-Chinese Sea). According to Buddhist mythology, Potala is a paradise where Bodhisatvia Avalokiteshwara and Tara live.
History
The Tibetan Temple-Palace Potala was built on the site of a huge (more than 1000 rooms) Palace of the king of the Yarong Dynasty of Tibet Songzen Gampo, which was ruled in 604-650. And brought Buddhism to the people of Tibet. Today, Potala visitors show the Cave of Chogyal Compact, in which the King Songzan Gampo meditated, and the Phakra Lhakhang Hall as the surviving fragments of the ancient palace complex. Songzan Gampo was considered the reincarnation of Avalokiteshwara.Idea inspirer and initiator of the start of the construction of Potala in 1645 - Ngawang Lobsang Gyatsu (1617-1682) - Fifth Dalai Lama, or the Great Fifth, Tibetan religious and political figure. He was also considered the reincarnation of Avalokiteshwara. Consequently, Potala Palace - Paradise on Earth - became a visual confirmation of the integrity and revival of the Tibetan state.
However, in the construction of the palace, the obvious political subtext was also noticeable. The first half of the XVII century. She became a period of the most severe struggle of the rival schools of Tibetan Buddhism, supported by the rulers of various areas of Tibet. It was in 1642. Dalai Lama fifth received the supreme power over all Tibet: his school of Tibetan Buddhism Gelug won everyone else, a new Supreme Tibetan Religious Board appeared. The capital was declared Lhasa, where the palace was erected for a new nobility.
The first of the whole complex was built by the White Palace in 1645-1648: Dalai Lama Fifth turned him into his winter residence.
The Red Palace is erected between 1690 and 1694.
Before starting construction, a platform was prepared: the mountain crest was leveled by applying the traditional for Tibetan mountain architecture the cutting technique of downward terraces. Thus, the amazing effect of the "growing" building from the mountain was achieved.
With regard to construction technology and materials, Potala Palace is similar to ordinary peasant houses of Tibet.
Powerful exterior bearing walls are composed of roughly treated stones. They are fastened by clay. Thick wooden beams that support the floor and ceiling are inserted into the walls. In the premises of the beams are supported by wooden columns.
Slowed outdoor walls are also typical for homes of simple residents of Tibet: the walls are bevelled inward by 6-9 °. The space between the outer and the inner walls reaches 5 m (!), It is filled with the ground, stones and interleaven branches of the zeal.
Palace Potala One of his appearance should inspire the reverence and humility of the will of the Gods and their representatives on earth. Therefore, he is ascended to the hill in the midst of the valley high in the mountains of Tibet.
Created with the support of Mongols, the Palace of Potal in his appearance connected the Indian roots of Tibetan Buddhism, the Chinese architectural decor and traditional Tibetan construction technology.
Since 1951, he is part of the PRC on the rights of the autonomous region. His spiritual leader - Dalai Lama - since 1959 dwells in exile. But Potala Palace preserved: unlike most Tibetan monasteries and temples, Potala was not destroyed by the Hunweist and the Chinese army, thanks to the personal order of the first premiere of the State Council of the PRC Zhou Egnlay (1898-1976).
Potala and today remains the architectural embodiment of the Buddhist essence of Tibet.
The White Palace consists of a spacious eastern pavilion, a sunny pavilion, the residential chambers of the regent and the Mentor of the Dalai Lama, and also the official premises of the Government of the Tibetan Autonomous Region. The big oriental pavilion has always been used for official ceremonies. In the sunny pavilion there were personal rest of the Dalai Lama, then he lived and worked, read the sacred texts, solved the issues of management.
The Red Palace served as a place of prayer meetings and holding religious rituals. There are also several pavilions here.
In the Western extension of the Red Palace there is a tomb of Thuptan Giaso - Dalai Lama Thirteenth (1876-1933), which ruled from 1895 to 1933
Such a credit was also honored for ensuring that in 1912, he achieved the proclamation of the independence of Tibet and the formation of an independent Tibetan state.
The walls of the Palace Palace are covered with a layer of lime in a white palace and ocher - in red. The walls always look like new, because they are poured from above, and instead of the brushes use horns from the wool yaks.
You can always find out what places in the palace are of particular importance: they have small gold-plated Chinese roofs, but at the same time with gilded Indian ornaments, in ancient hand made by the hands of Nepalese masters.
The windows of the palace are curtained with carpets from black wool yak.
Eight memorial storms with disablled bodies of Dalai Lam are considered very important for Palace and Temple. Among them are the Stupa Dalai Lama Fifth - the builder of the White Palace.
Potala Palace is surrounded by monastery residential premises (focused in the Western Wing), storeroom and external fortification facilities. Due to the crowbility of buildings, it is sometimes difficult to judge what period they relate, but, in all likelihood, this is the end of the XVII century. It should be noted that the Temple Palace is constantly completed, making changes to the overall complex.
A visitors can get into the complex of the Palace of Palace, they can through a narrow gate to which several stepped ramps lead.
In the inner premises of the palace, wooden beams and columns, as well as walls are decorated with complex carvings and drawings. The halls are filled with many relics: these are spatial mandalas for contemplation, memorial stupas, statues of Dalai Lam and teachers, statues of deities and Yidamov, books, ritual items.
For all ages of its existence, Potala Palace never turned out to be significantly damaged. His beautiful appearance And the good condition of the interiors is supported only by the necessary repair.
Over the past decades, Lhasa marked noticeably, there were many buildings in a modern style, but Potala, as in the old days, everything is still majestically towers over the changing city landscape.
Potal Palace listed on UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994
general information
Location: Southeast Tibet.Administrative location: City of Lhasa, Tibetan Autonomous District, PRC.
Status: a cult facility, a historical monument.
Construction: VII, XVII, XIX centuries.
Languages: Tibetan, Chinese.
Ethnic composition: Tibetans, Hantians.
Religion: Buddhism.
Currency unit: yuan.
Numbers
Total Palace Square: 360 000 m 2 (along with the front yard and pond).Total height of the complex: 117 m.
Length: 400 m.
Width: 350 m.
Wall thickness: 3-5 m.
Floors: 13.
Height above sea level: 3650 m.
Eastern Yard Area (Terraces): 1600 m 2.
Square Cave Chogyal Compact: 27 m 2.
Number of monks (Nammyal Monastery) : 200.
Climate and weather
Mountain.The average temperature of January: -2.5 ° C.
The average temperature of July: + 15 ° C.
The average annual amount of precipitation: 420 mm.
Relative humidity: 60%.
sights
■ The complex of the palace and the temple of Potala (VII, XVII centuries).■ White Palace (1645-1648)
■ Red Palace (1690-1694)
■ Tkombic Thuptan Giaso - Dalai Lama XIII (1934-1936)
■ Other structures: Monastic residential premises, storerooms and external fortification facilities (end of the XVII century).
Curious facts
■ In 1652, Dalai Lama Fifth, the builder of Potala, arrived in Beijing, where a yellow palace was built specifically for him. Then by China's emperor Shun-Ji from the Qing dynasty as a sign of special appreciation assigned to Dalai Lame the fifth title penetrating, carrying a thunder's scepter similar to the ocean of Lama. In gratitude to the Dalai Lama, the fifth awarded emperor title Heavenly God, Manjushri, the highest, great lord.■ Building stone was delivered to a conflict from a quarry northeast of Lhasa. Delivered porters - on their own backs and in volokuschi. The clay used as a solution was mined right on the spot, and the remaining pits turned into a pond called the King Dragon pool.
■ Dalai Lama The thirteenth played a very important role in the so-called big game - diplomatic and military confrontation between Russia, Great Britain and the Qing Empire at the end of the XIX - early XX century. At the same time, he was on the side of Russia. In 1904, after the British invasion of Tibet, Dalai Lama fled in Urga, the capital of Mongolia. Turning to the Russian consulate, he asked the royal government permission to move to Russia. Dalai Lama received a refusal: if this request was satisfied, Russia for a long time, if not forever, would have spoiled relationships with China.
■ The main difference between the Potala architecture from the walls of traditional Tibetan houses is that the walls of small bastions in the eastern and western wing are rounded, and not direct.
■ Only the diligent consequence of the Tibetan traditions of house-building in the sweat can be explained by the presence on the flat roofs of the vertical parapet, in whose facial surface is inserted by the branches of Willow and Tamarisk, the ends directed outward and painted in red. They symbolize the knitting of the twigs and the shank of the hay, which in our days the Tibetan peasants are folded on the roofs of their simple houses.
■ The underground sanctuary of the ancient Dobddy Religion Bon has been preserved in the lower base tier.
■ Potala relics - one hundred sacred scrolls on palm leaves From ancient India. They are written more than a thousand years ago, while gold and silver inks were used, dyes from pearls, iron powder, corals, sea seashells and copper dust. Paper of scrolls do not affect insects or damp.
■ After the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama of the fifth (death and search of the new), his approximate hid it was almost ten years, fearing that the people would make up and stop working on the construction of Potala Palace.
■ Dalai Lama Fifth Stupa ranks fourth floor, its height is about 15 m, it is made of gold.
Potal Palace is a huge religious and administrative complex in Lhasa, an autonomous area of \u200b\u200bSouth Tibet, China. It is located on Mar-Ri (Red Mountain), at an altitude of 130 meters above the Lhasa Valley and rises sharply from its rocky base.
Krepang Carpo (White Palace), completed in 1648, once served as the place of the Board of the Tibetan government and the main residence of the Dalai Lama; From the middle of the 18th century, it was used as a winter palace. In Pochanga Marpo (Red Palace), built in 1694 there are several chapels, sacred statues and the tomb of eight Dalai Lam; It remains the main place of pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists.
History
The Tibetan King of Sron-Brusan SGAM-PO commissioned to build a palace in Lhasa in the VII century. Significantly smaller and less complicated than its successor of 13 km2, it was named Potal ("Pure Land" or "High Heavenly Kingdom") for reasons that are not historically documented, although the mountain of Potala in India seems like the likely source. Tibetan Buddhists recognize the Dalai Lama by the incarnation of Avalokiteshwara (China: Guanin), Bodhisattva, the house of which was on Mount Potala.
Subsequently, the palace was destroyed, and in 1645 the fifth Dalai Lama ordered to build a new castle, which could provide his role as a religious and state leader. Lhasa was again chosen as a place of pilgrimage because of its importance and proximity to the three main buddhist monasteries: Sir, Drepung and Ganden. The new Potala Palace was built on Mar-Ri for the safety provided by an elevated position. Up to the middle of the 18th century, Potala was a large Tibetan military fortress.
Of the more than 1000 rooms in Potal, the saints are considered - Chogyal Drubhuk and Fax Lhahang, the remains of the original palace of Sron-Bratsk SGAM-PO; In the latter there is a sacred statue of Arya Lesselvar (Avalokiteshwara). The sacred complex has more than 200,000 statues and 10,000 altars. His value was recognized by the Commission on the cultural relics of China, and the palace was saved during the cultural revolution.
As a symbol of Tibet, Potala Palace has many things worth seeing, the architecture of the entire structure, magnificent well-preserved works of art and various types of religious values.
Tibetan architecture
Potala Palace is one of the brightest architectural structures on a broken hill. Having a majestic exterior in 13 tiers with a total height of 117 meters, the entire palace was built of wood and stones. The walls were lined with a granite with a thickness of 2-5 meters.
Roof and eaves are made of wood with beautiful carvings in Buddhism. The palace can be divided into two main parts: the White Palace around and the Red Palace in the center. The White Palace was a residential quarter of Dalai Lama and an office for solving political and Buddhist affairs. And the Red Palace is the main building consisting of a difficult planning of various Buddhist rooms, chapels and libraries.
Great works of art
Inside the majestic palace there is a real treasury of magnificent works of art. The most outstanding art is 698 wall paintings on the walls and along the corridors, which describe some important events that have occurred during Tibetan history, such as Princess Wencheng in Tibet, and the history of the lives of well-known Buddhist masters, such as the 5th Dalai Lama.
In addition to wall frescoes, here you can also find a large number of exquisite paintings on silk, fabric or paper framed by color atlas, which are mainly talked about the history of Tibet, religious leaders and Buddhist teachings. In addition, there are many types of handicraft works that give the opportunity to submit Tibetan local life.
Religious treasures
Potala Palace is one of the most sacred buildings of Tibetan Buddhism. This is the Palace of the leader of the Tibetan Buddhism of the Dalai Lama. In antiquity, Potala opened the Buddhist school to teach Buddhism. More importantly, there are many stupas of past Dalai Lam in Potala Palace.
And in the Red Palace and in the White Palace there are many valuable statues, especially the statue of Cong Hap (in the Oriental Chapel) 2 meters high, the Silver Statue of Padmasambhava (in the Southern Chapel) and Statues of Sakyamuni, Dalai Lama and Buddha Medicine (in Northern Chapel).
In 1994, Potala Palace was listed by UNESCO World Heritage Site. Two other places - Tsuglaghang Temple (Jokhang), one of the most sacred In Tibetan Buddhism, and Norbuglingka (Precious Palace), the former Summer Residence of the Dalai Lama - were added to World Heritage sites in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
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Potala Palace (Named by Potal, the so-called pure earth of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshwara) is the world famous palace in the city of Lhasa, who was the official residence of the Dalai Lama in the era of the Central Hotbetic Government Ganden Porang (from 1642 to 1959). The huge palace is located on Mount Mareori (translated from the Tibetan "Red Mountain") and towers 130 meters above the center of the capital of the Tibetan Autonomous Area.
Construction of the initial palace building on Red Mount was started in 637 by the king of Songzane Gampo, who commanded him in Lhasa for his wife Wen Cheng. The structure was completed in 641. In the 8th century, it was almost completely destroyed by Chinese troops.
In the 17th century, Dalai Lama V ordered to build on the mountain new palace. At the same time, the ruins remaining since Songzen Gampo were integrated into its design. The construction of the first part (Porang Carpo, i.e. The "White Palace") of the current Potala Palace was completed in 1648 with Dalai Lame V, and the second part (Pochang Marepo, i.e. "Red Palace") was completed only in 1694 after his death, with its 5th governor of the detacities of Sangye Gyatso (Desi Sangen Gyatso). A detailed statement of the governor has been preserved about this stage of construction with an extensive list of people employed in Him. The last serious reconstruction was undertaken in 1922. With Dalai Lama XIII, several rooms were renovated, and another 2nd floors in the Red Palace were completed.
After the construction of the Palace of Norbulinka, who began to be used as a summer, Potala received the status of the winter residence.
In the years of Chinese cultural revolution The complex of Palace Potala Among the few Tibetan cultural monuments was preserved relatively well, as the Chinese occupation army was located here. Nowadays, it is used as a museum, but along with the Temple, Jokang still refers to the number of most important places of pilgrimage of Tibetan Buddhists.
Outside, 13 floors of the palace are visible. The structure was completely built of wood and stone. Its walls thick up to 5 meters are entirely erected from granite. The foundation of the walls descends deeply in the rock layer, and the external walls are strengthened by reinforcement, made by fill in special molten iron channels. The reinforcement was supposed to strengthen the construction of the building and its resistance to earthquakes. Potala Palace was decorated with rich golden decorations, which served as lightning lighters. Numerous lightning strikes, striking it for several past centuries, did not harm him.
