Tamshing Monastery, Bumthang

Bhutan Tours - Tamshing Monastery, Bumthang

This monastery or goemba was founded in 1501 by the Bhutanese saint Pema Lingpa, a reincarnation of Guru Padmasambhava.  It is one of Bhutan's most important temples and houses some very old religious murals (below right) believed to have been painted by Pema Lingpa himself.  The monastery is of unusual design, with the key chapel screened off in the centre of the assembly hall, almost like a separate building.  In the inner sanctuary there is a revered statue of Guru Rinpoche.  Although in need of some reatoration, the monastery currently supports a body of over 95 monks and novices.