Wangdicholing Palace

The first thing that strikes you about the historical Wangdichholing Palace, when you approach it, is how it resembles more of a massive traditional house and less of a royal palace, like it should. In fact this is the first Bhutanese palace that wasn’t designed primarily as a fortress. The historical significance and grandness it once exuded now remains shrouded in the development all around it, leaving it to appear like a prehistoric flower still in bloom. Built in the year 1857, the palace is located in Jakar, Bumthang, on the site where the father of the First King, Trongsa Penlop Jigme Namgyel, camped during battle. The palace was used by both the first and the second king of Bhutan as their main summer residence where many important decisions pertaining to nation building were made. This important landmark in the history of Bhutan’s monarchy, where the first King of Bhutan was born, serves as a specimen of Bhutan’s unique architecture, craftsmanship and painting that still continues to influence Bhutanese architecture. The palace has remained neglected and was used as a monastic school until the Bhutan Foundation with support from the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs along with international partners including the U.S Ambassador’s fund for Cultural Preservation, s...