Buildings height set for better view of Potala Palace- People's Daily Online

Buildings height set for better view of Potala Palace

15:20, April 23, 2009

In order to give a prominence to the Potala Palace as a symbol building of Lhasa, the municipal government will set limits to the height of city buildings, according to the "Master Plan of Lhasa (2009-2020)" issued by the local government.

According to the plan, a vision protection area is set with the radius of 2,000 meters around the Potala Palace. Within the area, architectures should be below 15 meters in height. Except for some individual landmark buildings, abrupt buildings are not allowed as not to influence the whole view to enjoy the Potala Palace. All the existed buildings affecting the landscape severely should be renovated to ensure that people can overlook from the viewing platform of the Potala Palace to enjoy the whole city's scenery.

Located at the Marburi Mountain (Red Mountain), the Potala Palace was built along the mountain. With its main buildings of 117 meters high, the Potala Palace can be seen around 5 kilometers away.

The Potala Palace was built in the seventh century. Songtsan Gambo, ruler of the Tubo Kingdom, had the Potala Palace built for Wen Cheng Konjo (Princess Wencheng) of the Tang Dynasty. After years of reconstruction, nowadays it occupies 360,000 kilometers. It is the largest and most completed palace-style architecture group in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Famous around the world, it has been listed as a national key unit to be protected. In 1994, the United Nations listed the Potala Palace as a "World Cultural Heritage".

The plan also controls the height of buildings within the eyesight between Lhasa Bridge at the south bank of Lhasa River and the Newu Bridge if they influence the view of the Potala Palace and the overall effect.

In addition, architectures near the Lhalu Wetland in the north of the Potala Palace will also receive the height control to ensure people fully view the Potala Palace and the main body of Marburi Mountain.

Source:China Tibet Information Center