A view of the Potala Palace, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in the Xizang autonomous region. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]

Other changes are also being made to the palace's operating hours. Between May 1 and Oct 31 (summer season), the site will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, with opening hours from 9 am to 3:40 pm. During the winter season, from Nov 1 to April 30, visiting hours will run from 9:30 am to 3:20 pm. Visitors are advised to plan their trips accordingly.

Built in the seventh century by Tibetan King Songtsen Gampo and largely reconstructed in the 17th century, the Potala Palace remains Xizang's largest and best-preserved palace complex.

The palace was listed among the first batch of China's key cultural relics in 1961, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994.