Lhasa is the capital of Tibet, now part of China. Like most of Tibet, Lhasa is located in the Himalayas, among the highest mountains on Earth. Lhasa is at an altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level!
Lhasa's largest building - and one of the largest religious structures in the world - is called Potala, the "Palace of the Gods". The Potala has served as the seat of Tibet's government, as a Buddhist monastery and as the home of the Dalai Lama, the head of all Tibetan Buddhists.
Its construction began in the year 700, on a steep hill outside the city, where it can only be reached by long zigzag stairs up the hill. Altogether, the nine floors of the Potala have approximately 500 rooms and more than 1,400 windows, and house more than a thousand monks.
In times past, Lhasa was known as the "Forbidden City," since only Tibetans were allowed to enter the sacred city.
The roof and towers of the Potala are covered with glittering gold.
The building was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994, this declaration was extended in 2000 and 2001 to include the neighbouring monuments Norbulingka Palace and Jokhang Temple.
.
