The historic Old Town of Leh is generally called mkhar-yog, referring to the residential houses and community spaces below the 17th century Leh palace. Earlier, the houses were surrounded by a fortified wall with gates in different directions. It is said that there were only 120 family houses, which were categorised into two equal parts popularly known as Skyanos tukchu (tukchu means 60) and Gog-sum tukchu. The palace stands imposingly along the edge of a hill, with other houses built carefully on the gradient, in order of the importance of positions held by each family in the royal court, the most important being the Lonpo (Prime Minister) house right at the foot of Palace.
A remnant of dividing wall between the two parts (Skyanos and Gog-sum) still exists; however, the main protective wall around the town has almost entirely disappeared, except for some remains hidden in the labyrinths of narrow alleyways and buildings both modern and old. On the peak of the hill stands the Tsemo castle, a much older fort of predecessors of King Singe Namgyal, who built the nine-storied Leh Palace or Lehchen Skumkhar.
This guided tour is free.
