Norbulingka means Jewel Park, and that is exactly what it was: a garden retreat west of central Lhasa where the Dalai Lamas moved for the warmer months. It was begun in the eighteenth century by the seventh Dalai Lama, enlarged over the following generations, and the most recent major building, the Takten Migyur Palace, dates from the 1950s. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2001 as an extension of the Potala Palace site.
The gardens
The park covers about thirty-six hectares and is arranged as a series of enclosed gardens, each with its own pond, pavilion and planting. The result is green, shaded and quiet, with willows, poplars, roses and flowering shrubs that grow well at this altitude. Paths connect the gardens, and it is one of the few places in Lhasa where you can walk for an hour under trees without traffic.
The palaces
Several palace buildings stand within the park, painted in the bold yellow, red and black of Tibetan court architecture, with painted beams, carved columns and decorated interiors. They hold reception rooms, private chapels, throne rooms and living quarters, with murals and objects from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The newest palace is the most complete and the most visited; the older pavilions are quieter and reward a slow look.
Practical information
Norbulingka is in the west of Lhasa, about two kilometres from the Potala Palace and easy to reach on foot, by taxi or by bus. It is open daily during daylight hours, with an admission fee and a separate fee for some palace buildings. The Tibetan opera performances of the Shoton Festival take place here in summer, when the park is at its busiest and most festive.
How to visit
Allow two hours and go in the morning or late afternoon for the best light and the fewest people. Because the altitude makes walking harder than it looks, plan the park as a slow half day rather than a checklist. It combines easily with the Potala, which is a short drive east.
