Padum Old Town

Padum Old Town is the historic core of Padum, the administrative centre of Zanskar in Kargil district, Ladakh, situated along the confluence of the Doda and Tsarap rivers. It comprises traditional Ladakhi mud-brick and stone houses, narrow lanes, chortens and prayer walls reflecting centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist settlement. Notable for its preserved vernacular architecture and views of the surrounding Zanskar Range, it offers insight into the former capital of the Zanskar Kingdom and local rural life.

Visitors can expect a small, walkable historic quarter with traditional flat-roofed Ladakhi houses built of sun-dried mud brick and stone, narrow unpaved lanes, mani walls, chortens and prayer flags. The area is set on the valley floor surrounded by the Zanskar Range with views of nearby monasteries and the Stod River. There are no formal museums or ticketed monuments; exploration is on foot through residential lanes, observing local architecture, daily village life and mountain scenery.

Padum served as the historic capital of the Zanskar Kingdom and remains the administrative centre of Zanskar. The Old Town preserves the traditional settlement pattern with centuries-old Ladakhi houses, chortens and Buddhist structures reflecting the region's Tibetan Buddhist heritage and its role as a trading and administrative hub in the Zanskar valley.

The area reflects Tibetan Buddhist culture of Zanskar with traditional architecture, chortens, mani walls and prayer flags. It showcases vernacular building techniques adapted to high-altitude desert conditions and continues as a living residential area where local customs, festivals and monastic traditions are observed.