Leh Old Town, India

The Old Town of Leh, capital of the once-independent Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, presents a rare example of an intact historic Tibeto-Himalayan urban settlement.

Due to the region’s formidable terrain and tradition of nomadic life, few urban centers (outside of fortified monasteries) ever existed in this area, and almost none survive today. Leh’s first buildings--fortification walls, temples, and a royal residence--were built in the early fifteenth century. In the centuries that followed, many other important structures were erected there.

When the Indian government began building the first navigable roads through the region in the 1960s, many of Leh’s Old Town gates and walls were demolished, some as recently as the 1980s. Nonetheless, Leh has managed to retain much of its historic character, comparable in scale and design to pre-1950 Lhasa, Tibet.

A 2004 survey by the Tibet Heritage Fund revealed that 55 percent of the 189 historic or traditional buildings in the Old Town of Leh are in poor condition, requiring maintenance or repair if they are to survive another decade. Seismic activity coupled with the impacts of climate change, including increased heavy rainfalls in recent years, have accelerated the deterioration of traditional buildings throughout Ladakh.

Measures must be taken to protect landmarked buildings, improve civic infrastructure, and develop guidelines for sustainable development in the historic city. It is hoped that Watch listing will significantly increase the profile of Leh and help draw attention to the rich cultural heritage of Ladakh that is at risk.

Climate change also threatens these sites:

- Herschel Island
- Scott’s Hut and the Explorer’s Heritage

- Sonargaon-Panam City
- Kilwa Historic Sites
- Chinguetti Mosque

Read more about sites affected by climate change

Learn more about Ladakh (pdf)

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