Tachog Lhakhang and Iron Chain Bridge

Tachog Lhakhang sits on a hillside above the Paro Chhu about twenty kilometres east of Paro, on the road to Thimphu. The temple was founded in the 14th century by the bridge-builder saint Thangtong Gyalpo, and the iron chain bridge across the river below the temple is one of his original surviving works — the chain links date from the 15th century. The modern wooden footboards were added later; you walk across the same iron that Thangtong Gyalpo forged.

A small visit takes about an hour: a short climb up to the temple, a look at the wall paintings inside (the caretaker will usually open it on request), and the walk across the iron bridge to a small chorten on the far bank. Easy to combine with a transit between Paro and Thimphu, since the temple is literally on the route. No admission fee.

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A story
Thangtong Gyalpo, the 14th-15th century Tibetan saint who founded Tachog Lhakhang, is credited with engineering 108 iron-chain suspension bridges across the Himalayas. He is said to have learned iron smelting in a single life and used the technique to bridge rivers that had previously taken days to cross. He also founded Tibetan opera as a way to fund the bridge-building work.

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