Leh Palace

Leh Palace also referred as the ‘Lhachen Palkhar’ is a yesteryear royal palace located in the picturesque Ladakhi Himalayan town of Leh in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Designed in line with the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, the construction of the Leh Palace began in the sixteenth century and it was completed in the 17th century, marking it as one of the tallest buildings of that era with nine storeys. The roof top of the palace provides spectacular views of the mountain of Stok Kangri and the Ladakh mountain range as also panoramic views of the entire town and its surroundings. The palace is now in a dilapidated condition being maintained by the ‘Archaeological Survey of India’ (ASI). However the majestic building with a museum holding over 450 years old artefacts in the midst of the mountains that provide breathtaking views of the snow clad mountain ranges attracts tourists to this palace.

History
Founder of the Namgyal dynasty of Ladakh, Tsewang Namgyal embarked on building the Leh Palace on the Tsemo Hill in 1553. The construction of this regal building was completed in the 17th century by Sengge Namgyal known as the 'Lion' King. He was the nephew of Tsewang Namgyal. While the upper floors of the nine-storied palace were used for residential purpose by the royal family, the lower floors had storerooms and stables. The royal family had to desert the palace and shift to Stok Palace in the mid 19th century as the Dongra forces invaded and took over Ladakh. The palace not only remained a helpless witness to some severe wars but also faced the wrath of such wars manifested by the serious damage it suffered from cannon balls.

Architecture
Although smaller in size, this palace resembles Lhasa’s Potala Palace and stands in the midst of the mountains as an excellent example of medieval Tibetan architecture. The jutted out wooden balconies and the huge buttressed wall are the primary features of this architectural style. The palace is built of stones, wood, mud and sand. The walls of the palace being constructed with wood and mud helps keep the scorching heat away, thus creating a soothing and pleasant temperature inside. The entrance of the palace is decorated with wood carved figurines. Although the palace is in ruins, some small compartments, few spacious rooms and corridors still exist. The bigger rooms and corridors of the palace have been turned into exhibition halls. Some murals that managed to remain visible in the dilapidated walls of the palace depict the majestic grandeur of the past. The famous Victory Tower lies just above the palace which was constructed to commemorate the brave fight put up by the Ladakhi soldiers against the invading Balti Kashmiri soldiers in the 16th century that saw the Ladakhi brave hearts winning the battle.