2. Buddha Dordenma Statue

Erected in the mountains to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the fourth Bhutanese king, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the Buddha Dordenma Statue is one of the largest Buddha rupas in the world, and stands 52 meters tall, with over 125,000 small statues of the Buddha inside. Made in the form of the sitting figure of Sakyamuni Buddha, the project cost over 100 million US dollars to complete. Around the Buddha statue lies the Kuensel Phodrang Nature Park, 943 acres of forested areas that was opened in 2011 to allow visitors to the site to relax in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Interestingly, the building of the statue was foretold by Padmasambhava himself in an ancient terma that dates back to the 8th century, which was repeated by the yogi Sonam Zangpo in the early 20th century.