One of the oldest temples in Bhutan, traditionally dated to the 7th century and continuously expanded since. The original chapel houses a 7th-century statue of Jowo Sakyamuni — the historical Buddha as an eight-year-old prince — modelled on the famous Jowo in Lhasa. A second chapel built in 1968 by the Queen Mother contains a striking image of Guru Rinpoche. Look for the orange tree in the courtyard which, by long tradition, bears fruit year-round.
The temple sits in a small walled compound about ten kilometres north of Paro town, easily combined with a visit to Drukgyal Dzong further up the valley. Photography is forbidden inside the chapels; behaviour expected here is the same as at any working Buddhist temple — quiet voices, hat off, shoes off at the door, walk clockwise around any altar or stupa.