Overview:

Bartsham Monastery in Bhutan is one of the oldest and most important monasteries in the country. Located in the Bartsham district of Eastern Bhutan, it contains beautiful murals, intricate woodcarving and the largest statue of the Sakamuni Buddha in the world which is 14 m tall. The monastery belongs to the Drukpa school of Buddhism and dates back to the 17th century. It was founded by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and is currently home to 80 monks. The main annual festival at the monastery is held in March and attracts many devotees from around the region. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Bhutan
Prominent Features:

1. Built in 1672, Bartsham Monastery is one of Bhutan’s oldest monasteries. 2. It is located in Bartsham Village, Trashi Yangtse District, Eastern Bhutan. 3. The ornate three-storey monastery houses several ancient statues and artifacts, including a lifesize portrait of a woman which is believed to be of a reality-shifting principal. 4. Inside the monastery you will also find several frescoes, stupas, and statues. 5. The monastery’s main hall is lined with intricate dark woodwork giving it a majestic atmosphere. 6. At the main entrance of the monastery is a large wheel of life, also known as the Asta Mani Prayer Wheel, which visitors spin to bring about good health and prosperity. 7. It is said that Buddha himself visited Bartsham Monastery before leaving for Tibet. 8. The monastery also serves as the home of a descending incarnation line of Guru Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, between 1685 and 1690. 9. Today, the monastery belongs to the Kagyu School of the Nyingma Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. 10. The monastery organizes special religious events such as the annual Kagyu Mountain Dharma Crags festival which attracts followers from all over the world. This national monument of Bhutan portrays the history and culture of the country.

History:

Bartsham Monastery, located in the Trashigang district of eastern Bhutan, is one of the oldest monasteries in Bhutan. It was founded in the 16th century by Trulku Tenpa Lhundrup, a lama of the Drukpa Kagyu lineage. The monastery was re-established in the 17th century by Lama Shiwa Lodroe Gyamtsho and is known for its distinctive white and red color architecture and is an important pilgrimage site. It is one of the main monasteries in the region and is home to a large number of locals and visitors. Bartsham Monastery is home to the Shengchai Goempa, a special form of meditation practice. Every year, thousands of pilgrims flock to Bartsham to witness the annual Tshechu celebration. This event celebrates the awakening of Guru Rinpoche and is spread over three days of festivities that include masked dances and colorful processions of monks and lamas. Bartsham Monastery is also renowned for its unique architecture. The monastery is believed to have been built in the mid-1500s and is known for its soaring white and red dzong architecture. It is the largest monastic institution in the region and sits atop a hill offering panoramic views of the nearby villages and the great expanses of the kingdom of Bhutan. The monastery's library holdings provide an interesting insight into the religious history of Bhutan with hundreds of Buddhist manuscripts, religious books, and other priceless artifacts. These are largely kept within the Bhutan National Library in Thimphu. In 2016, Bartsham Monastery was gazetted as a spiritual national heritage site by the government of Bhutan for its special significance to the Bhutanese culture and history. You must visit one of these historical places in Bhutan on your Bhutan tour

Interesting facts:

1. Bartsham Monastery in Bhutan is one of the oldest and most sacred Buddhist monasteries in Bhutan. It was founded in 1614 by Ngawang Tenzin, the great grandson of Lhasey Tsangma, the founder of Bhutan. 2. The monastery is located in a beautiful valley surrounded by picturesque hills and overlooked by a high cliff. 3. In 1615, the ten monks who resided at the monastery developed a spiritual practice called Taklung, which became a major practice in Bhutanese Buddhism and is still practiced today. 4. The 4th Desi (king of Bhutan) provided the monastery with many of its original treasures including a Golden Vase and a large Mandala painting. The painting was later taken to Tibet in the 1620s and the vase is still kept in the monastery’s treasury today. 5. The Bartsham Monastery houses one of Bhutan’s most important and holiest relics, a 16th century manuscript of the Buddhist teachings. It is said to have been written by Guru Rimpoche himself. 6. The monastery has also been a center for performing arts and several dances and dramas based on Buddhist scriptures are still performed during festivals. 7. Every year, Bartsham Monastery attracts thousands of pilgrims who seek the blessings of the sacred relic. Visit one of the famous monuments of Bhutan with your friends and family.