Serving not only as the tomb and winter residence of previous Dalai Lamas, the Potala Palacewas also the seat of the Tibetan government. This towering white and red structure is the symbol of Tibetan nationhood. The palace gets its name from Mount Potalaka, which is the sacred home of the bodhisattva of mercy, Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin, in Chinese).
The outer section, the White Palace served as the governmental headquarters and residence of the Dalai Lama. The smaller, inner Red Palace holds temples and the tombs of Dalai Lamas past. Construction began on the palace in the seventh century but major renovations took place during the 17th, 18th, and 20th centuries.
