China Tibet Autonomous Region

Tsaparang

Tibet Autonomous Region · China
Tsaparang, China
Photo: 李麓扬,上传Zhangmoon618 CC BY-SA 3.0 source

Tsaparang, the ruined capital of the ancient Guge kingdom in western Tibet's Ngari Prefecture, rises on a pyramid-shaped rock at the end of a narrow spur above the upper Sutlej River valley. The fortress complex — destroyed by Ladakhi invaders in the mid-17th century — contains carved tunnels, caves, two surviving temples (the Red Chapel and White Chapel), royal quarters, and a summer palace at the summit. The English historian Michael Wood proposed it as the historical origin of the Shangri-La legend.

  • Nearest water from center1.6 km
  • Nearest mountain from center46.7 km