Norbulingka Park UNESCO World Heritage of Tibet

Norbulingka Park (Treasure Garden) was built in the 1740s during the reign of the seventh Dalai Lama. Later it was renovated and enlarged and became the Dalai Lama’s Summer Palace. Norbulingka (literally: "The Jewelled Park") is a palace and surrounding park in Lhasa, Tibet, built from 1755.[1]  It served as the traditional summer residence of the successive Dalai Lamas from the 1780s up until the 14th Dalai Lama's self-exile in 1959. Part of the "Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace", Norbulingka is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and was added as an extension of this Historic Ensemble in 2001.  It was built by the 7th Dalai Lama and served both as administrative centre and religious centre. It is a unique representation of Tibetan palace architecture.

The Norbulingka park situated at an elevation of 3,650 metres (11,980 ft) boasted of flower gardens of Roses, petunias, hollyhocks, marigolds, chrysanthemums and rows of herbs in pots and rare plants. Fruit trees of apple, peach and apricot were also reported (but the fruits did not ripen in Lhasa) and also poplar trees and bamboo. In its heyday, the Norbulingka grounds also witnessed wild life in the form of peacocks and Brahminy ducks in the lakes. The park was so large and well laid out that cycling around the area was even permitted to enjoy the beauty of the environment.  The gardens are a favourite picnic spot and provides a beautiful venue for theatre, dancing and festivals, particularly the Shodun or 'Yoghurt Festival', at the beginning of August, with families camping in the grounds for days surrounded by colourful makeshift windbreaks of rugs and scarves and enjoying the height of summer weather.

 

Norbulingka Palace of the Dalai Lamas was built about 100 years after the Potala Palace was built on the Parkori peak, over a 36 hectares (89 acres) land area. It was built a little away to the west of the Potala for the exclusive use by the Dalai Lama for stay during the summer months. Tenzing Gyatso, the present 14th Dalai Lama in the order stayed here before he fled to India. The building of the palace and the park was undertaken by the 7th Dalai Lama from 1755. The Norbulingka Park and Summer Palace were completed in 1783 under Jampel Gyatso, the 8th Dalai Lama, on the outskirts of Lhasa. became the summer residence during the reign of the Eighth Dalai Lama.

Kelsang Potrang, named after the Seventh Dalai Lama, is a three-storey palace with halls for worshipping Buddha, bedrooms, reading rooms and sanctuaries. Tsokyil Potrang, when the Eighth Dalai Lama was in power, is considered to be the most attractive in Norbulingka. Khamsum Zilnon built during that time is really a striking pavilion of the Han architecture style, where Dalai Lamas enjoyed Tibetan opera. In 1922, a wealthy benefactor had Golden Linka and Chensel Potrang constructed for the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. Meanwhile, a lot of flowers, grass and trees were planted. In 1954, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama built Takten Migyur Potrang, which is also called the New Summer Palace, means 'Eternal Palace' in Tibetan. The architecture has combined the characteristics of temple and villa and is more magnificent than other palaces. The exquisite murals in the palace are well worth a mention and visit.