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A tall square tower of dressed stone and low palace walls above a stone stair under a deep blue sky with a few clouds
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Photo: Dinesh Valke from Thane, India · CC BY-SA 2.0
ruins4 min from Pelling7 min walk from the road

Rabdentse Ruins, Pelling — the second capital of Sikkim's kings

The Rabdentse ruins near Pelling: Sikkim's second capital, 1670 to 1814, with its stone throne, chortens, palace walls and the short walk in from the gate.

What it is

Rabdentse was the second capital of the Kingdom of Sikkim. Wikipedia says the first Chogyal, Phuntsog Namgyal, was consecrated at Yuksom in 1642, and that his successor Tensung Namgyal moved the capital here in 1670. It stayed the capital until 1814, and a Gurkha army then destroyed it. The site lies on a ridge near Pelling, and the Archaeological Survey of India has declared it a monument of national importance.

Photos: Ankur P from Pune, India (CC BY 2.0) · ARANYA HALDAR (CC BY-SA 4.0) — via Wikimedia Commons, resized.

The walk in

Wikipedia places the ruins about 3 km from Upper Pelling and says the approach is from an ornamental yellow gate by the Pelling–Gyalshing road, followed by a walk of about 15 minutes through woodland. On the path an avenue of chestnut trees leads to a stone throne of three standing stones, the Namphogang, which was the judges' pulpit in the kings' time.

The palace

The ruins are mainly stubs of heavy stone walls. At the Taphap Chorten, which stands half ruined, visitors to the palace had to dismount and remove their hats. The palace stood in the fourth courtyard, in a northern wing where the royal family lived and a southern wing, and three chortens stand beside it. A white marble slab marks the spot where the Risum Gompa once stood. From the ridge, Wikipedia says, you can see the Kanchenjunga ranges on one side and the valleys on the other.

Combine it with

The Pemayangtse Monastery overlooks the site, and both fit one morning in the Pelling ridge day. Read things to do in Pelling and how to reach Pelling.

Plans that include this

All 2 plans that stop here →
The white and red front of Pemayangtse Monastery with a flagpole and a green lawn under a clear sky
One day in Pelling — Pemayangtse, the Rabdentse ruins and the skywalk
Day plan · First visit · Temples & heritage
A one-day plan for Pelling, West Sikkim: Pemayangtse Monastery, the Rabdentse ruins of the old capital and the Chenrezig statue and skywalk, with road times.
Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →
A small dark lake with a pale shore lying in a bowl of dense green forest, seen from a viewpoint above
Two days in Pelling — the ridge, Sanga Choeling and Khecheopalri Lake
1 night · 2 days · culture · Temples & heritage
A two-day Pelling plan: Pemayangtse, the Rabdentse ruins and the skywalk on day one, then Khecheopalri Lake and Sanga Choeling Monastery, with road times.
Best Apr–May · Oct–Nov
See the plan →

Nearby places

All of Pelling →
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
Pemayangtse Monastery, Pelling — the old Nyingma seat on the ridge
temple · 459 m away
Sanga Choeling Monastery, Pelling — a ridge-top gompa of 1697
Sanga Choeling Monastery, Pelling — a ridge-top gompa of 1697
temple · 3.5 km away
Chenrezig Statue and Skywalk, Pelling — a 42 m statue, a glass walkway
Chenrezig Statue and Skywalk, Pelling — a 42 m statue, a glass walkway
monument · 3.7 km away
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
Tashiding Monastery — the holiest hilltop monastery in Sikkim
temple · 4.2 km away
Dubdi Monastery, Yuksom — the first monastery of Sikkim, on a hill
Dubdi Monastery, Yuksom — the first monastery of Sikkim, on a hill
temple · 7.7 km away
Norbugang Chorten, Yuksom — where Sikkim's first king was crowned
Norbugang Chorten, Yuksom — where Sikkim's first king was crowned
temple · 8.5 km away
Khecheopalri Lake — the wish-fulfilling lake north of Pelling
Khecheopalri Lake — the wish-fulfilling lake north of Pelling
lake · 9.3 km away

Nearby destinations

All destinations →
Roofs and hotels of Darjeeling spreading down a steep ridge under distant blue mountain ranges and soft cloud
Darjeeling
29 km away · 3 itineraries · 10 places
Pastel-coloured buildings of Gangtok climbing a steep, forested hillside, seen from a viewpoint across the valley
Gangtok
36 km away · 4 itineraries · 11 places
A wide view over the houses of Shillong spread across forested hills under a sky of towering white clouds
Shillong
409 km away · 3 itineraries · 6 places
A deep, steep-sided green valley filled with low grey cloud seen from the Mawkdok Dympep viewpoint near Cherrapunji
Cherrapunji
412 km away · 2 itineraries · 3 places
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Questions people ask

What are the Rabdentse ruins?

The remains of Rabdentse, the second capital of the Kingdom of Sikkim, which Wikipedia dates from 1670 to 1814. A Gurkha army destroyed the city; the palace walls and chortens survive. The Archaeological Survey of India protects the site, which lies on a ridge about 3 km from Upper Pelling.

How do you get to Rabdentse?

Wikipedia describes an ornamental yellow gate near the Pelling–Gyalshing road, with a walk of about 15 minutes through forest from it. By road from Pelling our routing gives the time in the quick facts. We have no verified opening hours or ticket rule, so ask locally.

What is there to see at Rabdentse?

Stone wall stubs, a throne of three standing stones called Namphogang where judgments were given, the semi-ruined Taphap Chorten at the palace entry, and the palace's northern and southern wings. Wikipedia also notes a view of the Kanchenjunga ranges from the ridge.