Ladakh

Alchi

Eastern view of the monastic compound. Luczanits 2000

Gerneral view of the monastic compound, seen from the northern hillside. Neuwirth 2000

North-western view. Neuwirth 2000

North-eastern view. Luczanits 2000

South-eastern view of the Dukhang. Neuwirth 2000

Roof of the Dukhang. Neuwirth 2000

Courtyard of the Dukhang. Neuwirth 2000

Southern view of the Sumtseg. Auer 2004

Roof construction of the Sumtseg. Neuwirth 2000

Wood carved porch on the Sumtseg's south-eastern fascade. Neuwirth 2000

South-eastern view of the Manjusri temple and the Translator's temple. Neuwirth 2000

Eastern view of the Translator's temple. Neuwirth 2000

The Kakani Chörten and the Small Chörten. Auer 2003

The Great Chörten. Auer 2004

The monastic compound of Alchi

Coordinates of the site: 34°13'25.56" northern latitude and 77°10'31.02" eastern longitude, at an altitude of 3100 meters.

The village of Alchi is located about 38 kilometres (airline) west of Leh, on the southern bank of the Indus River. Alchi accommodates some of the most remarkable Buddhist monuments in the Himalayas. It comprises five temples as well as three painted gateway chörten (Kakani Chörten) of a type unique to the so-called Alchi group of monuments.
The Dukhang or Assembly hall with a courtyard arranged in front of it lies in the centre of the complex. The Sumtseg or Three-storeyed Temple is situated on the western side of the Dukhang. The former free standing Manjusri Temple at the eastern side of the Dukhang now forms a common structure with the Lotsaba Lhakhang, the Translator`s Temple. All the temples face southeast. The Small Chörten lies directly opposite the Sumtseg while the Great Chörten stands slightly apart from the other buildings.
The oldest temples are the Dukhang, the Sumtseg and the Manjusri Temple. These buildings are attributable to the period dating from approximately the middle of the 12th century to the early 13th century. In addition, the monastic complex of Alchi preserves further early chörten and temples built during the 13th and 14th century. The two earliest chörten, the Great Chörten and the Small Chörten were built immediately after the Sumtseg and corroborate an early 13th-century date for the Alchi Sumsteg. Among the other temples, the Translator`s Temple and the Lhakhang Soma or New Temple are noteworthy. In addition, there are at least three other chörten in Alchi which contain early paintings.