Dumtseg Lhakhang

Dumtseg Lhakhang was built in 1433 by Thangtong Gyalpo, the Tibetan engineer-saint who built iron chain bridges across the Himalaya, and it is unusual in form: a temple shaped as a chorten, three storeys rising in a tapering tower, which is rare in Bhutan. The interest is entirely inside. The three floors carry a painted programme that ascends in sequence, from the wrathful protective deities on the ground floor through bodhisattvas to the enlightened forms above, so that climbing the internal stairs moves through a doctrinal progression. The paintings are considered among the finest in the country. The interior is very dark and a torch is needed; photography is not permitted, and the building is often locked with the key held nearby.

What you actually see

• The chorten-form temple - a tapering tower rather than a hall.
• Three painted floors - a tantric progression ascending the building.
• Wrathful deities - the protective figures on the ground floor.
• Thangtong Gyalpo's work - a building by the iron-bridge saint.

When to go

March to May and September to November for the valley. The temple is often locked, so access needs a guide who can arrange the key; this is not somewhere to turn up at independently.

Honest expectations

It is very dark inside and the paintings need a torch and time for the eyes to adjust. Photography is forbidden. The building may be closed with no notice. The stairs are steep and narrow. The visit is short but rewards knowing what the sequence means.

Nearby

Paro town lies east; Tachog Lhakhang is on the road toward Thimphu.