JANGTSA DUMGTSEG LHAKHANG

On the road leading to the national museum, this temple was built around 1433 by the famous Tibetan religious master Thangthong Gyalpo, nicknamed "the builder of iron bridges". Along with the Memorial Chorten in Thimphu, this temple is the only monument in the country in the form of a chörten. A chörten is the Tibetan name for a Buddhist stupa. It's a complex edifice built on several levels, with accessible interior spaces reserved for worship.

Jangtsa Dumgtseg Lhakhang is said to have been built to vanquish a demoness living in the valley. The temple, in the shape of a mandala, was built on three levels. The walls are entirely covered with magnificent paintings, testimony to Bhutan's rich iconography. The first floor features a wide variety of subjects, including Padmasambhava's paradise, the Shabdung, Maitreya and White Tara. You'll notice a representation of the builder, Thangthong Gyalpo, recognizable by his hermit's garb and the small piece of iron chain at the end of his hand. The second floor depicts episodes from the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the Bardo Thödol. The top floor features images of higher tantric cycles, as well as the 84 mahasidhas, the Indian saints who first received the tantric teachings.

At the time of our visit, the temple was under reconstruction. We recommend you bring a flashlight to admire the interior paintings.