Tsaparang

Tsaparang was the fortified capital of Guge, rising above the upper Sutlej valley in western Tibet. Palaces crowned the summit of its earthen hill, monasteries stood on the slopes, and dwellings and caves occupied the ground below. The temples of this remote royal centre preserve the painted art of a kingdom that helped sustain Buddhist learning and ties with India across the Himalayas.

In 1624 the Portuguese Jesuit António de Andrade and his companion Manuel Marques reached Tsaparang from India. The king allowed them to preach, and a mission and church were established with royal support. Their position deteriorated amid a struggle within Guge: the king's opponents sought help from Ladakh, whose forces overthrew him around 1630. A later Jesuit attempt to restore the mission failed. Guge remained under Ladakhi influence until troops of the Lhasa government took the region in 1679–80.