Your sightseeing here will consist of absorbing the peaceful vibrations of Budhism and culture of its ancient past.
Leh Palace is one of the major attractions here. Built in the 17th century, it is still fascinating in its dilapidation, and it was once home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok in the 1830s. Above the palace, at the top of the Namgyal hill is the Victory Tower, built to commemorate Ladakh’s victory over the Balti Kashmir armies in the early 16th century.
Visit the fifteenth century monastry, the Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, built in 1430, that contains a three-story high Buddha image and ancient manuscripts and frescoes. Climb further up to the fort , which is now in ruins, but you get to see some marvelous views of Leh from here..
The Sankar gompa is located a few kilometers north of the town center and it belongs to the Gelukpa order. It has an impressive impression of the Buddhist deity, Avalokiteshwara Padmahari or Chenresig, with 1,000 arms and an equal number of heads.
More recent is the The Shanti Stupa, built by a Japanese order and was opened by the Dalai Lama in 1985.It is located about 3 kms from the Fort Road, also affords some more views of the exotic locales nearby. The Mughals extended their influence right up to this region, and their last great emperor, Aurangzeb, commissioned a mosque that is situated at the head of the Leh Bazaar. Another monastry, The Soma gompa lies nearby. |
