Lamayuru is a Tibetan Buddhist Gompa in Kargil District, Western Ladakh, situated on the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road 15km east of the Fatu La pass, at a height of 3510m. Founded by the Indian scholar Mahasiddhacarya Naropa in the 11th century (allegedly on the site of a dried-up lake) after spending many years meditating, Lamayuru is the largest and oldest gompa in Ladakh with a population of around 150 permament monks resident. It has, in the past, housed up to 400 monks, many of which are now based in gompas in surrounding villages.