The Potala

Lonely Planet review

The Potala is one of the great wonders of world architecture. As has been the case with centuries of pilgrims before you, the first sight of the fortress-like structure will be a magical moment that you will remember for a long time. It's hard to peel your eyes away from the place.

The Potala is a structure of massive proportions, an awe-inspiring place to visit, but still many visitors come away slightly disappointed. Unlike the Jokhang, which hums with vibrant activity, the Potala lies dormant like a huge museum, and the lifelessness of the highly symbolic building constantly reminds visitors that the Dalai Lama has been forced to take his government into exile. It's a modern irony that the Potala now hums with large numbers of chattering Chinese tourists staring with wonder at the building the generation before them tried so hard to destroy.