Thiksey Monastery
A 12-storey monastery modelled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
Tibetan Buddhist monastic culture
Ladakh — Heritage & Culture
Monuments, living traditions and festivals that shape Ladakh beyond its city sights.
Key monuments
Hemis Monastery
Ladakh's largest and wealthiest monastery, host to the annual Hemis Festival.
Leh Palace
A 17th-century royal palace built in a style similar to the Potala Palace.
Festivals
Hemis Festival
A masked Cham dance festival celebrating Guru Padmasambhava's birth.
Ladakh Festival
A cultural showcase of Ladakhi music, dance and archery each September.
Culture
A high-altitude Tibetan Buddhist culture distinct from the rest of Jammu & Kashmir, with monasteries central to daily life.