First built in the 7th century and rebuilt in the 17th, the Potala was the winter palace of the Dalai Lamas and the highest palace complex on Earth (3,700 m), a UNESCO site since 1994.
Booking: ¥200 tickets (peak season), reserved one day ahead on the official "Potala booking" mini-program. Peak-season tickets vanish instantly — set your alarm.
Highlights: the White Palace (administration and residence), the Red Palace (temples and stupa halls — the 5th Dalai Lama's stupa is plated in 3,700 kg of gold), and the murals and thangka art.
Altitude: rest 1-2 days in Lhasa before visiting; walk slowly, hydrate, skip hot showers; carry glucose and oxygen. Severe symptoms (headache, vomiting) mean medical help immediately.
Around it: Jokhang Temple (with the 12-year-old Buddha statue), the Barkhor kora circuit, and the Potala viewing platform at Yaowang Mountain — the scene on the ¥50 note.
