01 Aug Buddha Point
Perched atop a hill in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital and largest city, stands the magnificent Buddha Dordenma statue. This colossal, golden Buddha sits atop an ornate meditation hall, but its grandeur extends beyond its visible splendor. Inside this 169-foot-tall statue, there are 125,000 miniature Buddhas embedded within its enlightened bronze chest, each ranging from 8 to 12 inches tall. Remarkably, this means that in Thimphu—home to about 100,000 people—there are more Buddhas than residents.
Constructed at a cost of nearly $100 million and completed in 2015, the statue was built to commemorate the 60th birthday of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, Bhutan’s fourth king. It is adorned with gilded bronze, contributing to its substantial expense.
The statue also embodies two significant prophecies. Yogi Sonam Sangpo had foreseen the creation of a Buddhist statue in the region to “bestow blessings, peace, and happiness to the whole world.” Additionally, the statue fulfills a prophecy mentioned by Guru Padmasambhava, also known as the “second Buddha,” from the eighth century. In this shimmering edifice, both ancient prophecies are realized.
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