Dechen Phodrang Monastery
Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dechen Phrodrang, meaning "Palace of Great Bliss", is a Buddhist monastery in Thimphu, Bhutan. It is located to the north of the city.
| Dechen Phodrang Monastery | |
|---|---|
 Dechen Phodrang monastic school | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Tibetan Buddhism |
| Location | |
| Location | Thimphu, Bhutan |
| Country | Bhutan |
  Location within Bhutan | |
| Coordinates | 27°30′4″N 89°37′57″E |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Gyelwa Lhanangpa [1] |
In 1971 it became a monastic school, called a lobdra, and currently it has 450 student monks enrolled in eight-year courses with a staff of 15. The monastery contains a number of important historical Bhutanese artifacts including 12th-century paintings monitored by UNESCO and a noted statue of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal on the upper floor.[2] In the downstairs chapel, there is a central Sakyamuni Buddha.[3]
