A comparably small town at an elevation of 2.350m and none of the modern attributes like highrise buildings, traffic lights, train station, but facades out of a fairytale book. Strolling along Norzin Lam, Thimphu's main avenue, one passes a colorfully painted wood-carved little structure, where white gloved arms reach out in elegant and soft gestures to guide the sparsely vehicles. Further up one reaches the 9-hole golf course backed by the massive Tashi Chhoe Dzong with the secretary's and ministerial offices, the throne-room, seat of royal offices and, at the other end, the monksquarters and the large Dochey, the stone paved courtyard for the annual Tshechu.
The Dzong went through an eventful history and was affected by
fire and earthquakes. When King Jigma Dorji Wangchuk moved
the capital from Punakha to Thimphu in 1962, it was restored - without using a single nail - in traditional style.
A cantilever bridge arch the rearby river.
The National Library
lies west of the golf course and is filled
with tibetan scripts on long paper streamers and books about Buddhism or the history of himalayan regions.
The Artist School (Zorig Chusum), the Museum of Folklore, the
Textile Museum and the Institute for Traditional Medicine are
additonal spots to gain insight into bhutanese culture.
The Telecom Tower provides an excellent view over Thimphu and a detour to the nearby minizoo lets you watch the Takins
(Bhutan's national animal), which resemble a buffalo with a goat's head. Takins usually graze on high himalayan valleys and
are skilled climbers.
Changangkha Lhakhang, situated on a hill north of the town, offers a similar view. It is one of the oldest monasteries with
roots tracing back to the founders of the Drukpa order.
Somewhat outside the city limits are several Goembas and also the strategically situated Simtokha Dzong, the very first fortified monastery errected by the Shabdrung arround 1630. From here he began to unify Bhutan.
