There are many prime attractions in Leh like:
Leh Palace
You can't miss the nine-storey Tibetan-style Leh Palace, built by King Singge Namgyal in the 17th century. This is said to have inspired the famous Potala Palace in Lhasa built about half a century later. Above Leh Palace, on the Namgyal Tsemo Hill lie the remnants of the royal residence built in the 16th century. Leh Palace is one of the chief lures of the province. The palace was constructed in the seventeenth century. It was the abode of the royal family till 1830s. Leh Palace is one of the most captivating architectural ruins that attract the attention of the tourists almost immediately with its majestic setting at the edge of the Namgyal hill and overlooking the town. Built in the 17th century, it was built as the residential palace for the King Singge Namgyal. Much smaller but resembling the Potala in Lhasa, Leh Palace is now in ruins. It has nine storeys and has been deserted since the royal family shifted to the Stok Palace in 1830s. nine storeys, but it is now dilapidated and deserted. It was the home of the royal family until they were exiled to Stok in the 1830s. The Victory Tower set above the palace was built to commemorate the victory of brave Ladakhi soldiers over the invading armies of Balti Kashmiris in the early 16th century. Today, Leh Palace serves as an office for the Indian Government's archaeological conservation organization. Leh Palace is an excellent example of the medieval Tibetan architecture. It features colossal inclined buttressed walls and protruding wooden balconies. It has suffered massive destruction being at the receiving end of the Kashmiri cannons and one has to be careful while walking through the ruins, watching out for the gaping holes in the floors and dark staircases. The highlights of the place are flaking murals trying to let the visitors glimpse the erstwhile glory and splendor of the ruined royal apartments and its roof terrace offers picturesque views of the town and the snow-capped Stok Kangri Mountains. Also worth of note is the gloomy Dukhar temple housed on the fourth storey with a thousand armed image of its deity, Goddess Tara, along with some wonderful and peculiar masks, musical instruments and weapons used once as props, to accompany the occasional recitals and religious ceremonies held in the courtyard of the palace outside.
Namgyal Tsemo Gompa
Once one is acclimatized to the altitude, the stiff early morning hike up to Namgyal Tsemo Gompa, the monastery perched precariously on the shaly crag behind Leh palace, is a great way to start the day. Two trails lead up to "the Peak of Victory", whose twin peaks are connected by giant strings of multicoloured prayer flags; the first and most popular path zigzags across it south side from the palace road, while a second scales the more gentle northern slope via the village of Chubi, which is also the route followed by the Lama from Sankar Gompa who tends to the shrine each morning and evening. Alternatively, one can drive there along the dirt track that turns left off the main Khardung-la highway, 2-km north of the bus stand. Approaching the Gompa from the south, the first building one comes to is the red-painted Maitreya temple. Thought to date from the 14th century, the shrine houses a giant Buddha statue flanked by Bodhisattvas. However, its wall paintings are modern and of less interest than those in the "Gon Khang", or the temple of protector deities, up the hill. Most famous of these, on the left of the door as one enters, is the honorary portrait of Tashi Namgyal, the temple's founder and prolific builder. In the gloomy interior, one can just make out murals of "Shakyamuni" (the historical Buddha) and Tsongkha-pa, founder of the Gelug-pa sect. The veiled central deity itself sports a shiny phallus, believed to cure infertility in women.
Sankar Gompa
Located at a distance of approximately 3 km from the town of Leh, the Sankar Gompa of Ladakh is a subsidiary of the Spituk Gompa. Belonging to Gelukpa Sect, it is also the official residence of The Kushok Bakul, Ladakh's head of this sect. Ladakh Sankar Gompa has specific timings for the public, since, out of the 25 monks of the yellow-hat sect attached to it, a few reside here permanently. The entrance of the Dukhang is adorned with the paintings of the Guardian of the Four Directions, on either sides of the door. There is also a "Wheel of Life", held by Yama, on the left wall of the entrance verandah. Inside the Dukhang, the walls are splashed with new paintings of various Buddhas, along with guardian divinities. Also present is a throne reserved for the head lama of the monastery. To the right of the throne is an image of Avalokitesvara (Lord of All He Surveys) with 1000 arms and 11 heads. The central image in the Sankar Monastery of Leh Ladakh is that of Tsong-kha-pa, founder of the yellow-hat sect of Buddhism, along with his two chief disciples. Other images include those of Sakyamuni (the Historical Buddha), White Guardian and Amchi (the Buddha of Medicine). The Sankar Monastery of Ladakh also houses a temple, devoted to the deity Dukar. The main image inside the temple is of Dukar, inset with turquoise and shown with 1,000 arms, 1,000feet, 1,000heads, and 100,000 eyes. The monastery also boasts of Kandshur, the 108 volumes of Buddha's teachings and images of the Three Buddhas - Sakyamuni (the Post Buddha), the Present Buddha and Maitreya (the Future Buddha).
Shanti Stupa
Also known as Peace Pagoda, opened in 1983 By Dalai Lama. A relatively new addition to the rocky skyline around Leh is the toothpaste white Shanti Stupa above Changspa village, 3km west of the bazaar. Inaugurated in 1983 by the Dalai Lama, the "Peace Pagoda", whose sides are decorated with gilt panels depicting episodes from the life of the Buddha, is one of several such monuments erected around India by a "Peace Sect" of Japanese Buddhists. The Dusky Beauty, The site of the Stupa is particularly atmospheric at dusk, when the drums played at evening Puja seem to set the pace of growing shadows as the sun sinks behind the mountains in the west. The Shanti Stupa can be reached by car, or on foot via a steep flight of five hundred steps, which winds up the ridge from the end of Changspa lane.
Ladakh Ecological Centre
Down the hill, you can sample Buddhist culture at the newly built Buddhist temple, Jo-khang. Take a short walk to the Ladakh Ecological Centre, an NGO that is using folk technology to meet the demands of modern life. The Ladakh Ecological Development Group was initiated in 1983 to Promote ecological and sustainable development, which blends with the traditional culture. The programmes include information, education, handicraft, agriculture and cultural preservation activities.
Shey Palace
Shey palace was built in 1645 by Deldon Namgyal as a summer residence for the kings of Ladakh. It is the oldest palace in Ladakh and above the palace is an even older ruined fortress. From the palace one can get the views of the ranges in the south to the Thiksey gompa and in the west to the Zanskar mountain ranges. Hundreds of chortens of all shapes and sizes stand below the palace and gompa. These chortens demonstrate the interest taken by the Ladakhi kings and queens who succeeded Shey's builder. In 1655, in memory of his father, this same king built the two-storey Shey gompa adjacent to the palace. In this gompa he installed a two-storey high image of the seated Buddha. Presently, there are only two caretaker lamas in residence. After entering the central courtyard located on the second storey of the gompa, a large seated Buddha is found in the room to one's right. The seated Buddha is 12 meters high and worked of copper sheets gilded with gold. This Buddha is the biggest metal statue in the region and was the largest Buddha statue of any type in Ladakh until Thiksey gompa installed a 15 meter tall Buddha made of clay in 1970. Shey's Buddha statue was made in 1655 by a Nepalese sculptor who was assisted by three Ladakhi craftsmen. The castings of the statue were made in Leh while copper was collected in Zanskar and hammered into plates on big rocks. More than five kilos of gold were then used to plate the copper. The statue was built in parts in the Zanstil Palace (Zans means copper and til means "to hammer") in Leh and then transported to Shey where it was assembled and installed. Sacrificial offerings such as grain, jewels, holy signs and mantras are contained inside the figure. The most important moment in the construction of the Buddha figure is when the eyes are painted on, for this is the moment when the statue can "see". For this reason, the artist or monk will paint in a Buddha's pupils over his shoulder, with his back to the idol, for none would dare to look the Buddha in the eye. The upper storey contains numerous murals on the walls. When facing the Buddha, the wall on the left is painted black and decorated with skulls. The walls on both sides depict the 16 Arhats (Worthy Ones who have achieved Nirvana), 8 on each side. The wall behind the Buddha has images of his two chief disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana of Padme Sambhava, an 8th century Indian translator of Buddhist texts into Tibetan and Tsong-kha-pa, founder of the yellow-hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. To the right of the Buddha are statues of Padme Sambhava in the center, Dogzang Guru Limbune on either side and two chortens. Directly in front of the Buddha, to the right, is a statue of a blue horseman, Paldan Lamo and to the left is a statue of the red horseman of Chakmen, representing the king of Ladakh. Also in front of the Buddha is a large bowl of wax with a central flame that burns for one year before being replaced. This flame represents divinity and purity and is present in front of all Buddha statues in the Ladakh region. The lower storey of the gompa has a large library of old books. The walls are painted with murals of Buddha figures with the various hand gestures - that of preaching, teaching, blessing and "earth witness".
