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Popular Touristic Sites in Thimphu

Without any traffic light, crowded streets & shops and heavy traffic congestion unlike many other major cities in the world, Thimphu is one of the most charming capital towns, a perfect blend of modern and ancient where the age-old culture survives and thrives amidst modern day necessities. Home to plethora of sites of historical, cultural, religious, ecological and educational interest, a visit to Thimphu will certainly hold a special place in memory line of even the most discerning traveller and provides opportunity to know, understand Happiness Kingdom of Bhutan, in the best possible way.     

Here are few suggested sites and spots one is recommended to visit and explore during a trip to this colourful, vibrant and lively mountainous capital city:

Trachichhoedzong
Picturesquely located next to the banks of Wang Chhu river, only about 10-minute drive from heart of the town, this impressively large historically significant fortress cum monastery has been the seat of government since 1952 and presently houses the throne room and offices of the King, the secretariat and ministry of home affairs and finance. Originally built in the beginning of 13th century followed by several expansions in coming centuries, finally the Dzong was completely renovated and enlarged by His Majesty King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk over the span of five years and afterwards he moved the capital to Thimphu, in 1952.

Buddha Dordenma
No visit to Thimphu is complete without being at Buddha Dordenma, which holds world largest sitting Buddha statue (51.m metres), made of bronze. Located atop a hill in Kuenselphodrang Nature Park, it is a place of great veneration to all sentient beings. 125,000 smaller Buddha statues have been placed within the Buddha Dordenma statue, each of these also have been cast in bronze and gilded. The throne that the Buddha Dordenma sits upon is a large meditation hall.

Memorial Stupa
One of the prominent landmarks in the town, Memorial Stupa or Thimphu Chorten is the stupa built in 1974, in honour of Bhutan’s Third King His Majesty Jigme Dorji Wangchuk (1928-1972) who is popularly regarded as Father of modern Bhutan.

Textile Museum
Weaving is an important component of age-old Bhutanese culture & traditions. Established in 2001, under the Royal patronage of Her Majesty Queen Mother Gyalyum Sangay Choden Wangchuck, the Textile Museum is a national centre to collect, document, preserve, interpret and display Bhutan’s textile heritage and promote the living textile arts.

National Institute for Zorig Chusum
It’s a premier institute dedicated to preserve & promote thirteen traditional arts & crafts of Bhutan namely painting, textile, paper making, clay arts, stonework, blacksmithing, bronze casting, wood carving, wood turning, wood working, silver & gold-smithing, cane & bamboo work, needlework. Traditional arts are known as Zorig Chusum in Bhutan (Zo – the ability to make, rig – craft or science, chusum – thirteen). The institute also has a showroom in form of embroidery, Iron craft, painting, sculpture, silver & gold work, soft skill, wood carvings galleries where one can witness the craftsmanship of young artists and their master creations. 

Folk Heritage Museum
Situated in the centre of the town, the Folk Heritage Museum connects people with rich Bhutanese folk heritage and acquaint them with rural experiences through exhibits, demonstrations and documentation of Bhutanese rural life. 

National Library
It’s a major scriptural repository and a research facility for the preservation and promotion of the rich literary, cultural and religious heritage of Bhutan. The scripture and document collection in the library is a national treasure and a fundamental source of Bhutanese history, religion, arts & culture.

Motithang Takin Preserve
One can see Bhutan’s national Takin at this preserve, which is located in Motithang area of Thimphu, about 20-minute drive from city centre. Looking like a cross between a cow and a goat (with head of goat and body of cow) the animal is said to have created by great Buddhist yogi, Drukpa Kuenley (1455 – 1529) also known as the ‘Divine Madman’. Taxonomists place this animal in a category of its own as it does not fit in established categories.

Changangkha Temple
Perched on a ridge, walking distance from Thimphu city centre, Changangkha is a popular 12th century temple. Local parents visit this temple to get auspicious names for their new-borns or blessing for their young children. Children are blessed by a phurba (ritual dagger) and given a sacred thread.

Centenary Farmers Market
Popularly known as Weekend Market, this market is now held on all days of the week except Tuesdays. One of the most lively, colourful physical retail marketplaces in the country, farmers from different part of the country conglomerate here to sale their farm products. The handicrafts products are also on display and it’s an interesting place to source the variety of Buddhist arts & crafts.    

Authentic Craft Bazaar
On Thimphu main street Norzin Lam and just opposite Hotel Taj Tashi, this handicraft market consists of about hundred perfectly lined identical looking shops, crafted from eco-friendly bamboo selling colourful authentic crafts of Bhutan. With aim to preserve and promote Bhutanese traditional arts & crafts, the shops here provide wide assortment of authentic souvenirs.

Drubthob Goemba
Drubthob Goemba also called Zilukha Nunnery is one of the biggest nunneries in Bhutan. Situated on a hillslope, looking down at Thimphu Golf Course and magnificent Trashichhoedzong, the nunnery is home to about 70 Buddhist nuns who have dedicated their life for Buddhist teachings, prayers and meditation. Amidst fascinating views, a visit here also provides opportunity to interact with nuns, learning about Bhutanese Buddhism and spirituality.

Pangri Zampa Lhakhang
Located at extreme north of Thimphu, this monastery complex houses an educational institute of the central monastic body for learning traditional astrology of Bhutan. Every year, the institute releases official Bhutanese calendar and announce dates for important national events in the country. Locals visit this monastery to know about their yearly predictions. The cypress tree standing at the entrance of the temple is the oldest in the country and also considered sacred.

Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory
A very important part of Bhutanese culture and tradition is handmade paper making. Historically paper has been made to provide Buddhist monasteries with paper for woodblock and manuscript books, and for writing prayers and mantras. Today handmade paper making continues to preserve and promote this age-old tradition, as well as to create many other products. Jungshi Handmade Paper Factory is one of the oldest in the country and embodies balance between age old tradition and modernity. On a visit, one can witness the complete process of paper making that is mainly produced from ‘Daphne’ plant species.

Thimphu Post Office & Bhutan Postal Museum
While in Thimphu, one must try to visit Thimphu Post Office to get his / her own postal stamps made, a unique experience here in Bhutan. These are real postal stamps and traveller can use it for mailing travel postcards while on tour thus an interesting gift for family, friends back home.
The Bhutan Postal Museum was opened on 7th November 2015 at General Post Office building in Thimphu to commemorate 60th birth anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo Jigme Singye Wangchuck and showcases the progress of postal services and also to some extent communication system in Bhutan & country’s rare and unique stamps issued over the years.

Simtokha Dzong
On the outskirts of Thimphu (about 5 km from Thimphu town), Simtokha Dzong is the oldest Dzong survived till date as full structure. Officially known as ‘Palace of the Profound Meaning of Secret Mantras’, the fortress is at a strategic location overlooking Thimphu valley and the road going to Dochula pass and further to eastern Bhutan.