Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey Monastery has popularly known for its 49 ft tall Maitreya Buddha statue, and it is also the largest monastery in Central Ladakh. The Buddha statue is in the lotus position and was built in the year 1970 to honor the visit of the 14th Dalai Lama to the monastery.

This monastery belongs to Gelugpa, which is the Yellow Hat sect of Buddhism, and is a 12-storeyed monastery with a unique hierarchical structure. It is the official residence of the chief lama, has living quarters in the foothills, and also has a separate nunnery in Nyerma.

There are 10 temples in Thiksey Monastery, painted in red, ochre, or white. Tourists also visit other monasteries like Shey, Matho, and Stok nearby.