[Photo by Zhang Hao/for China Daily]

7 Historic ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa

Situated northwest of Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region, the palace consists of a group of large-scale castle-like buildings. Originally built in 7 AD by Srongtsen Gampo for marrying Princess Bhrikuti and Princess Wencheng, it was reestablished during the 17th century as the residential palace for the Dalai Lamas, and also as the ruling center of the unification of politics and religion in Tibet. The buildings are white and red and have a magnificent palace roof. There are 1,000 rooms, 10,000 shrines and 200,000 statues within the buildings that stand thirteen stories tall.