The Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, stands as an architectural marvel in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, within the People's Republic of China. This historic edifice served as the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas from 1649 to 1959 and has been a museum since then. The palace's intricate design features over 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines, and approximately 200,000 statues, all perched atop Marpo Ri hill, representing the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara.