A: The Potala was built during the reign of Tibetan King Songtsan Gambo at the time of the Tang Dynasty (61-907), and was rebuilt in the early Qing Dynasty(1644-1911) by the fifth Dalai Lama Ngawang Lozang Gyatso. Reconstruction was completed in the late Qing Dynasty during the reignof the 13th Dalai Lama Tupden Gyatso. Reconstruction was completed in the late Qing Dynasty during the reign of the 13th Dalai Lama Tupden Gyatso. It is a rare and treasured facet of Tibetan cultural heritage, as well as a gem in the repository of Chinese civilization, and is known as the "shining pearl of the snowland." The Potala Palace, a landmark synonymous with Lhasa, reflects the highest artistic achievements of the Tibetan ethnic group in terms of architecture, painting, sculpture and casting. It also epitomizes the cultural exchanges of the Han and Tibetan people, combining the architectural techniques of both ethnic groups.

 

The Potala Palace covers a total area of 360,000 square meters, with a floor space of 130,000 square meters, and a total of 2,000 rooms. It has 34 large Buddha halls, which house numerous priceless cultural relics. Construction of the stupa that holds the remains of the fifth Dalai Lama entailed 110,000 taels of gold and multifarious precious stones. The palace's ten warehouses contain a wealth of rare cultural relics.

 

The Chinese government is particularly concerned about effective protection and management of the Potala Palace, and in the 1990s invested 50 million yuan in large-scale renovation that lasted five years. On February 17, 1994, the Potala Palace was officially designated as a World heritage site. In 1997, with the approval of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Tibet Autonomous Region, the "Measures for Protection and Management of the Potala Palace" was issued, based upon which various regulations and responsibility systems have since been perfected.