Monastery · Buddhist
Cheri Monastery
Founded by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal·1620 CE·Thimphu
Bhutan's first monastery, founded in 1620 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal on a forested hillside near Thimphu.
Dedicated to
Founded by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal
Period
1620 CE
Hours
Daylight hours
Admission
Free
Neighborhood
Cheri foothills
Cheri Monastery holds a unique place in Bhutanese history as the first monastery established by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan, in 1620. It sits on a hillside above the upper Thimphu valley, reached by a short but steep hike from the road. The monastery is still an active meditation center, and the surrounding forest is quiet and well-preserved. A visit pairs naturally with nearby Tango Monastery for a half-day of walking and monastery visits north of the capital.
Folio III
Nearby Sacred Sites
Places within a short walk that help turn this stop into a small sacred cluster.
Coda
Continue the Pilgrimage
Help us get it right
Know Cheri Monastery better than we do?
We write from research and reporting, and the ground changes faster than we can keep up. If something here is out of date, or you have been and would tell it differently, we would rather hear it.