Dechen Phodrang Monastery

Dechen Phodrang Monastery is located in the north part of Thimphu. The meaning of Dechen Phodrang is “Palace of Great Bliss”. In 1771, the original building on the site of Dechen Phodrang was destroyed in a fire and only the residence of Zhabdrung survived. The residence was then renamed Dechen Phodrang and started to be treated as a monastic residence. Since 1972, the Dechen Phodrang Monastery is a monastic school where around 300 monks seek education. The place also used to host government functions in the 18th century.

Dechen Phodrang Monastery also has a statue of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who was popularly called the ‘Bearded Lama". For the people who are interested in history and paintings, the monastery has paintings that date back to the 12th century and it is one of the amazing places to see in Thimpu. This Dechen Monastery is related to Saint Pema Lingpa, the rebirth of the Guru Rinpoche. The Guru Rinpoche is the one who introduced Buddhism to the country and unwrapped the hidden treasures. Festivals such as Gangtey Tsechu and the Black Necked Crane Festival are also celebrated here. In these festivals, children dress up as black cranes to welcome their arrival.

Location: Wangdue Phodrang District, Central Bhutan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dechenphodrang/
Tel: 975 17 61 01 67
Hour: 8:00 AM - 19:00 PM
Google Rating: 4.6/5