TOWER OF TRONGSA - ROYAL HERITAGE MUSEUM

50 meters above the dzong is a remarkable watchtower, the Ta Dzong, recently transformed into a beautiful museum dedicated to the monarchs of Bhutan and Buddhist art. It is intended to be a place to safeguard Bhutan's heritage with a view to preserving artistic works and secular antiquities, and to make them known to the Bhutanese and international public. Five floors and as many exhibition halls were inaugurated in October 2008; all of them develop a theme. The Monarchy Hall displays a variety of royal robes of the various rulers and their artefacts, such as this small radio in a showcase. The room dedicated to sacred dances explains, with a lot of pedagogy and in English, what a Tschechu is. Gallery 11, the highest of all, is dedicated to Buddhist art, as well as to the bodies and words of Buddha. The body is symbolized by the image (the statue) of the Buddha; the texts represent his words; and the stupa, his longevity. One of the highlights of the museum is the reproduction of Padma Kathang, a biography of Guru Rinpoche written by his mystical companion Yeshe Tsogyal. Two small temples located inside Ta Dzong complete this very instructive visit, which allows the visitor to better understand Bhutanese spirituality. From the top of the tower, the view stretching endlessly over the valley is remarkable. Souvenir shop and café on the ground floor.