There is not much found about the history of Gangtok. A very little about the history of Gangtok has been traced in the oldest monasteries in Gangtok. The ancient record of Gangtok goes back to 1716 when the Monastery of Gangtok was built. During this time other monasteries were also constructed. Gangtok gained prominence as a significant pilgrimage center with the construction of Enchey Monastery in 1840, which until today serves as an important pilgrimage site in Gangtok.

Gangtok became the capital of Sikkim after the British conquest in the mid 19th century. After the defeat of the Tibetans by the British at the end of the 19th century, Gangtok became a major stopover in trade between Tibet and India. Major and most of the roads between telegraph and Gangtok were constructed during this time. Gangtok began gaining importance as a city when the Sikkimese monarch Thutob Namgyal shifted the capital from Tumlong in 1894, and Grand Palace and other buildings were constructed in the city.

After the Indian Independence in 1947, Gangtok became the capital of the nation-state of Sikkim. Today, Gangtok is the largest city in Sikkim and India’s cleanest and spit-free zone.