Captivating Leh Palace rises from the edge of a hill overlooking the Himalayan town of Leh and at once looks like a reminiscent of Lhasa's PotalaPalace. Though deserted, it has some definite mystical quality about it. The Palace was built in the middle of the 16th century by King Singe Namgyal and still belongs to the royal family that now lives in the Stok Palace. The nine-storeyed monument is now in ruins. The palace remains locked and may be opened at request by a monk.
The Palace has a museum with some tangkhas (painted or embroidered scrolls) and paintings on display. The view from the monastery above the Leh Palace is quite impressive. It is known as Namgyal Tsemo Gompa (monastery). The red monastery has some frescos, Buddhist scriptures, idols and a massive statue of the Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha).
The palace, a ruin, is currently being restored by Kashmiri craftsmen and the roof provides panoramic views of Leh and the surrounding areas. The mountain of Stok Kangri, part of the Zanskar mountain range, is visible across the Indus valley to the south with the Ladakh mountain range to the north.
