Brief / profile

With an area of 360,000 square kilometers, the Norbulingka Park is a large-scale palace complex in the Tibetan style. Moreover, this is an ideal resort for people to have a stroll and relaxation.

Location

This park lies in the western suburb of Lhasa and 3 km west of the Potala Palace.

Function or value in the past
In the past, it was the Summer Palace of Dalai Lamas. They usually dealt with political affairs and held religious activities.

History
The Norbulingka Park was originally constructed in 1755 during the reign of the 7th Dalai Lama.
After the 8th Dalai Lama came into power, it developed into the summer residence for Dalai Lama.
During the first half of the 20th century, more buildings were added to the park, making it much more attractive.
In December, 2001, the Norbulingka Park was listed as the World Heritage Site as a part of Potala Palace by UNESCO.
During the ancient time, the park was tightly guarded and common people were forbidden to enter. However, it began to open to the public since 1959.

Architecture / Structure / Each scenery.
The park is made up of 3 sections: the forest area, the palace area and the area in front of the palace.
About half of the area in the park is forest with the Golden Palace, the New Palace built in 1954 and the Sutra Hall as its main buildings.
Moreover, there’re some fantastic murals radiating the myth and history in Tibet.
Besides, there’s also a zoo in the park which was used to keep animals.
During holidays, the park is crowded with local people in beautiful costumes to sing and dance.