Hemis Monastery is hailed as the biggest monastic institution in Ladakh. Quite an ancient one, it is supposed to have existed from before the 11th century. It shot to fame as the venue of the very famous Hemis Festival which is celebrated every June. Built in a Tibetan style, the monastery has impressive murals and a museum that has on display a valuable copper statue of Buddha, gold and silver stupas, thangka paintings and an impressive range of artifacts. For a more experiential visit, you can stay in the monastery guest house. The monastery is at some 45 km from Leh and is well-connected via a motorable road.