Mangyu Temple Complex

The temple complex in Mangyu village is among the earliest in Ladakh and is thought to be of the same age as the temples of Alchi and Sumda Chun. Its oldest buildings are placed in the late 12th or early 13th century, though local tradition credits their founding to Lotsawa Rinchen Zangpo. Mangyu is roughly 70 km by road from Leh, about two hours by cab, and buses run from Leh twice a week.

At the core stand two early temples side by side. The Sakyamuni temple, or Chenrezig Lakhang, has an image of Sakyamuni on its north-west wall, while the Vairocana temple, called Nangbar Nangzad, has a group of sculptures on the same wall. Flanking chapels known as Chamba Lakhang hold large two-armed and four-armed Maitreya figures, and two early painted chortens stand nearby. Likir Monastery looks after the old temples through a resident monk, and a newer temple slightly higher up belongs to Matho. INTACH has conserved the buildings, and some original murals survive.