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Potala to be renovated to its former glory
Potala Palace, a mystical religious marvel perched on the roof of the world, will greet global visitors with a refined face when its largest ever face-lift is completed in five years. The project started yesterday. The 1,300-year-old palace, a key landmark in Lhasa, will be reinforced to strengthen it against wind erosion and boring insects. The ambitious restoration project will cost 330 million yuan (US$40 million). Officials in charge of the project will ensure that the restoration work does not in any way alter the original appearance of the palace. Also on the renovation list are the Norbuglinkha, the Summer Palace of the Dalai Lamas, and the Sagya Lamasery, which contains numerous rare religious relics. The Potala Palace was first built by Tibetan King Songtsa Gambo in the seventh century AD at the time of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). It was expanded during the 17th century by the Dalai Lama, who ruled Tibet from the 13-storey building on the Red Hill, 3,600 metres above sea level. The Potala Palace embodies the essence of ancient Tibetan architectural art and houses many artefacts of ancient Tibet. This will be the second time for restoration work to be done on the Potala Palace. At present the foundations are sinking and there are 57 places which are considered dangerous. The first large-scale renovation on the Potala Palace was carried out in 1989 at a cost of 50 million yuan (US$6.06 million) and took six years to complete. Gao Qiang, deputy secretary-general of the State Council, said all the money for the project comes from the central budget.
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