Shey Monastery is located at the hill-top of Shey, a small town which is just 15 kilometer away from Leh in Ladakh. The monastery was built in the memory of Singay Namgyal under the instruction of Deldon Namgyal in 1633. It is said that the structure of the monastery is complex but the stone carvings and chortens from the ancient times makes it look magnificently royal. The monastery had become a vacation home for the kings during the summer time.The dominant feature and the exclusive attraction of the monastery is the decorative statue of Lord Buddha carved in copper. This is the largest monastic structure in and around Ladakh. The preserved relics, ancient murals, old scripts are indeed fascinating for the tourists from all over the world. Moreover, the statue of Buddha symbolizes the holiness and divinity of this monastery. The most unusual feature of this place is the bowl of wax which is being placed in front of the statue Lord Buddha. It is said that the candle continues to burn for the whole year without even being replaced once. The statue conveys the blessing from Lord Buddha in disguise.
The library is exclusively for the scholars who wish to pursue studies about the ancient period of Buddhism. The exclusive wall paintings and the art and architecture which bring out the traditional Buddhist period are indeed a learning experience.
