Leh Palace — the nine-storey royal palace above the old town
What it is
Leh Palace, known too as Lachen Palkar, is the old royal palace on the ridge above the old town of Leh. Sengge Namgyal built it around 1600. Nine storeys tall, it housed the royal family on its upper floors, with stables and store rooms below.
Photos: Rayan Naqash (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.
History
Dogra forces took Ladakh in the mid-19th century, and the royal family left the palace empty for Stok Palace. Much of it is in poor repair and little of its interior decoration survives; the Archaeological Survey of India is restoring it.
What to see
Wikipedia describes a Palace Museum with jewellery, ornaments, ceremonial dresses, crowns and thangka paintings, and a roof with panoramic views over Leh. At the base are the Namgyal Stupa and the Chandazik Gompa. The Dosmoche festival is held here around February.
Combine it with
The first-day plan puts the palace with the Namgyal Tsemo hill and the Shanti Stupa. Read things to do in Leh and when to visit.
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Nearby places
All of Leh →
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Questions people ask
What is Leh Palace?
A former royal palace above the old town of Leh, built around 1600 by Sengge Namgyal and nine storeys high. Wikipedia says the royal family left it for Stok Palace when Dogra forces took Ladakh in the mid-19th century. Much of the building is in poor repair, and the Archaeological Survey of India is restoring it.
What can you see inside?
Wikipedia describes a Palace Museum with jewellery, ornaments, ceremonial dresses, crowns and old thangka paintings, and says the roof gives wide views of Leh and its surroundings. Around the base stand the Namgyal Stupa and the Chandazik Gompa. We have no verified opening hours or entry rules, so ask locally on the day.
Is it like the Potala Palace?
Wikipedia says Leh Palace is often compared with the Potala Palace in Lhasa and was built in the same architectural style. It is a smaller palace on a ridge above a small town. The comparison is about style and setting, not size, so judge it by its own walls and the view.