The expansion and repair the square in front of the Potala Palace began Sunday in Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

The expansion project, which will cost 140 million yuan (US$16.8 million), will include brick-paving, building flower beds and a musical fountain and installing telecommunications and power facilities. Work is scheduled to finish in July.

The project is part of the renovation on the Potala Palace, the former home of the Dalai Lama, which was placed on UNESCO's list of cultural heritage sites in 1994. The square has long been a venue for holding major meetings and celebrations in Tibet.

Losang Jamcan, vice chairman of the regional government, urged construction workers to "work hard to ensure completion of the project ahead of schedule and with high quality" at the project's opening ceremony held Sunday.

The Potala Palace, located in the northwestern corner of Lhasa, overlooking the Lhasa River valley, was first built by Tibetan King Songtsa Gambo in the 7th century in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and expanded during the 17th century. It features the essence of splendid ancient Tibetan architectural art.

(Xinhua News Agency March 21, 2005)