Basgo Monastery
བ་སྒོ་དགོན་པ
An ancient royal-capital monastery built on the ruins of an adobe fortress. Its halls house a towering Maitreya Buddha statue and 16th-century murals. It is on the World Monuments Watch list.
Basgo was once the old capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh. Adobe walls remain along the ridge, and halls on the top, including Jampa Lhakhang, contain a two-storey clay Maitreya Buddha and vividly coloured murals. After restoration by the local community and international organisations, the site has reopened. It is about 40 km from Leh, on the western road to Alchi. Entry costs about INR 30, and it suits visitors who enjoy old architecture and photography.
Opening hours
About 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Indus–Zanskar Confluence (Sangam)
- Likir Monastery
- Magnetic Hill
- Alchi Monastery
- Gurudwara Pathar Sahib
- Phyang Monastery
- Spituk Monastery
- Hall of Fame, Leh