taktsang bhutan postcard

Paro Taktsang (also known as The Tiger's Nest), Bhutan Paro Taktsang is the popular name of Taktsang Palphug Monastery (also known as The Tiger's Nest) a prominent Himalayan Buddhist sacred site and temple complex, located in the cliffside of the upper Paro valley, Bhutan. A temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated for three months in the 8th century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the tutelary deity of the country. The monastery is located 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the north of Paro and hangs on a precipitous cliff at 3,120 metres (10,240 ft), about 900 metres (3,000 ft) above the Paro valley, on the right side of the Paro Chu. The rock slopes are very steep (almost vertical) and the monastery buildings are built into the rock face.