Shey

Shey
Village
View from Shey Palace
View from Shey Palace
Shey is located in India
Shey
Shey
Location in Ladakh, India
Shey is located in Ladakh
Shey
Shey
Shey (Ladakh)
Coordinates: 34°04′23″N 77°38′21″E / 34.0731818°N 77.6392939°E / 34.0731818; 77.6392939
CountryIndia
Union TerritoryLadakh
DistrictLeh
TehsilLeh
Elevation
3,250 m (10,660 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
2,238
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)
2011 census code858
Sculptures of Maitreya at Shey, possibly raised by king Nyimagon circa 975 AD.[1]

Shey is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India.[2] It is located in the Leh tehsil, 15 km from Leh towards Hemis. Shey was founded as the summer capital of Ladakh (then called Maryul), by the king Lhachen Palgyigon in the 10th century, with Leh being winter capital.[3] It was gradually eclipsed by Leh around the 17th century after the growth of Central Asian trade.

  1. ^ Francke, A. H. (1907). A History of Western Tibet: One of the Unknown Empires. S. W. Partridge & Co. (London). p. 63.
  2. ^ "Blockwise Village Amenity Directory" (PDF). Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  3. ^ Ladakh and the three maitriyas, asianartnewspaper, 30 July 2021.