Namgyal Tsemo Monastery, Buddhist monastery on Namgyal Hill, Leh, India.

Namgyal Tsemo Monastery is a Buddhist religious center located atop a hill behind Leh Palace, built with three distinct architectural levels. Its position provides sweeping views across the Indus Valley and toward the Zanskar mountain range.

The monastery is attributed in some accounts to around 1430, but it was rebuilt in the 16th century by King Tashi Namgyal of Ladakh, who reigned from 1555 to 1575. It stands on Namgyal Peak above Leh, a strategic site overlooking the royal palace, and belongs to the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. The old dzong beside it has since fallen into disrepair.

The monastery houses a three-story gilded statue of Maitreya Buddha alongside ancient manuscripts and wall paintings that depict Buddhist teachings. These artworks represent artistic traditions that have been maintained within this sacred space for centuries.

The monastery can be reached by taking a bus from Leh city center or by walking up the hillside path, both accessible options from town. The uphill walk requires moderate fitness, especially considering the high altitude location.

A monk from Sankar Gompa comes up in the morning and evening to pour oil into the lamps before the deities in the small shrines beside the gompa. The wall paintings name a series of protectors, among them six-armed Mahakala and Vaishravana-Kubera, and include a portrait of King Tashi Namgyal himself.