Journal · Paro
Tachog Lhakhang and the iron bridge
A temple of the iron bridge builder Thangtong Gyalpo's line on the Paro river, reached by an iron chain bridge.
The story
Thangtong Gyalpo was a 15th-century Tibetan saint and engineer, famous for iron chain bridges across the Himalaya. This temple belongs to his line, and his descendants still care for it.
The old iron bridge here was washed away in a flood in 1969. It was restored in the early 2000s.
Before you go
It is on the road between Paro and Thimphu, a little upstream from Chuzom, where the two rivers meet. Most tours stop. Walk across the bridge.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Where sources disagree, we say so or leave the detail out. Opening times and rules change, so your guide confirms on the day.