Lecture Notes on Nepalese and Tibetan Architecture

Vocabulary flashcards about architecture from Nepal and Tibet. Definitions are extracted from the provided lecture notes.

Lotus Blossom Stupa

Represents Buddha's birth, Gautama Buddha's birth, or the birth of the Sugata.

Kumari

Living goddess of Nepal.

Chorten

Nepalese stupas; Buddhist in concept and execution; hemispherical or dome shape (white) surrounded by a brick plinth serving as a processional path.

Dega

Multi-tiered pagoda (Nepal).

Gajur

Pinnacle of the pagoda; combination of lotus base, an upside-down vase, a triangle, and a kalasha.

Jhingati

Special clay tiles used to cover roofs for pagodas.

Dwelling Overhang

1000mm overhang measurement for dwellings.

Vihara Overhang

1500mm overhang measurement of Vihara.

Temple Overhang

4000mm overhang measurements of temples.

Tibetan Architecture Colors

Red, white, and black are the predominant colors in Tibetan architecture, representing above, below, and in between realms of Tibetan belief.

"Roof of the World"

Tibet is known as the "Roof of the World" because its average height is more than 4000 m above sea level.

Tibetan Architecture Characteristics

Simple and rough shapes, rich and simple colors, and strong plateau characteristics.

Slate in Construction

Construction material that forms the little roofs over doors and windows.

Granite Uses

Used for walls.

Poplar Uses

Soft wood used for carving.

Fir Uses

Hard wood used for structural support.

Potala Palace

One of the most ancient architectural wonders of the world and the most important example of Tibetan architecture.

Outer White Palace

The administrative quarters & living quarters of the Dalai Lama.

Inner Red Palace

Houses the Great West Hall, chapels, shrines, and Buddhist scriptures.

Gyantse Dzong

One of the best preserved dzongs in Tibet.

Palden Lhamo Cave

It is said that King Songtsen Gampo once meditated in this cave.

King Dharma Cave

The oldest hall of Potala Palace, also a rock cave in the Tubo period.

Stupa

The stupa (Tibetan: chorten) is the most ancient form of Buddhist art, symbolizing the monumental funerary mounds of ancient India that were appropriated into Buddhism as depositories for Buddha.

Gyantse Kumbum

One hundred thousand holy images and has been described as the most important of its kind in Tibet