Buddha Dordenma

སངས་རྒྱས་རྡོ་རྗེ་གདན་མ་

A gilded seated Buddha 51.5 metres tall on a hilltop south of Thimphu, housing 125,000 small Buddha statues inside and offering a panoramic view over the capital.

The Buddha Dordenma (meaning "Buddha of the Vajra Throne") sits on Kuenselphodrang hill, south of central Thimphu, at an altitude of about 2,500 metres. It was built to mark the 60th birthday of the Fourth King and to fulfil an 8th-century treasure prophecy. Completed in 2015, the statue was cast in a factory in Nanjing, China, and funded by donors from Singapore and Hong Kong. The gilded bronze seated Shakyamuni Buddha stands 51.5 metres tall, making it one of the largest seated Buddhas in the world. Inside is a three-story hall housing 100,000 gilded statues of the Buddha about 8 inches tall and 25,000 about 12 inches tall. Murals depict the life of the Buddha, and the hall is open to visitors (remove shoes, no photography). The plaza in front of the statue has 12 gilded statues of Tara and goddesses, and its edge offers views over the whole Thimphu valley, making it the best place to watch the sunset and city lights. Admission is free. The inner hall is open about 09:00–17:00 (it may close at midday), while the plaza is open all day. The surrounding 943-hectare Kuenselphodrang Nature Park has several pine forest trails, and it takes about 1.5 hours to walk down from the statue to Changangkha Temple in the city. It is about a 15-minute drive up the winding road from central Thimphu. Allow 1 hour, and visit in the evening. Combine it with the National Memorial Chorten (built in 1974 in memory of the Third King, where elderly locals circle the stupa all day praying), and Motithang Takin Preserve (home to the national animal, the takin), for a half-day tour. Note: the top of the hill is windy, so bring a jacket. The plaza offers no shade.

Buddha Dordenma

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby