Likir Monastery

Likir Monastery, also known as Likir Gompa, is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located in Likir village, about 52 km west of Leh in Ladakh, India. Founded in the 11th century and affiliated with the Gelugpa sect, it sits on a hilltop overlooking the village. Notable for its 23-metre Maitreya Buddha statue, ancient murals, thangkas and museum, it remains an active monastic centre and important cultural landmark in the Indus Valley.

Visitors can expect a hilltop monastery complex accessed by a short uphill walk and steps, with whitewashed buildings, prayer halls, courtyards and chortens overlooking Likir village and the Indus Valley. Inside are shrines with Buddha statues, thangkas, murals and a museum displaying old manuscripts, thangkas and artefacts. The large gilded 23-metre Maitreya Buddha statue on the hillside is visible from a distance. The site is active with resident monks and offers quiet areas for observation and photography of architecture and landscape.

Founded in 1065 by Lama Duwang Chosje under the patronage of King Lhachen Gyalpo of Ladakh. Originally associated with the Kadampa school, it was later re-established in the 15th century by Lama Lhawang Chosje and became affiliated with the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism. The monastery was historically an important centre of learning and has been rebuilt and restored over centuries.

An important Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) monastery in Ladakh, serving as a centre for Buddhist teachings, rituals and monastic education. Known for its annual Dosmoche festival with cham dances, its collection of thangkas and murals, and the prominent Maitreya Buddha statue symbolizing the future Buddha. It remains an active religious site for the local Buddhist community.