Paro, Bhutan

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Paro
Paro-dz.svg
Aerial view of Paro
Aerial view of Paro
Paro is located in Bhutan
Paro
Paro
Location in Bhutan
Coordinates: 27°26′N 89°25′E / 27.433°N 89.417°E / 27.433; 89.417Coordinates: 27°26′N 89°25′E / 27.433°N 89.417°E / 27.433; 89.417
Country Bhutan
DistrictParo District
GewogWangchang Gewog
ThromdeParo
Elevation
་ at Paro Airport
2,200 m (7,200 ft)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total11,448
Time zoneUTC+6 (BTT)
Area code(s)+975-8
ClimateCwb

Paro (Dzongkha: སྤ་རོ་) is a town and seat of Paro District, in the Paro Valley of Bhutan.[1] It is a historic town with many sacred sites and historical buildings scattered throughout the area. It is also home to Paro Airport, Bhutan's sole international airport.

Architecture[]

The main street has many examples of traditionally decorated buildings.[2]

The Dungtse Lhakhang (a 15th-century temple) and the are near the new bridge. Members of royal family lodge in the palace when in Paro.[2] Nearby is the old bridge and the Rinpung Dzong. Notable hotels include the Olathang Hotel built in an ornate style.[2]

About 10 kilometres (6 miles) outside Paro is the famous Paro Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) Buddhist monastery and hermitage. Some Bhutanese believe that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew on the back of a tigress to this location from Tibet.[3] The trek to Tiger's Nest monastery takes about three hours one way. A scenic view of the town of Paro can be seen from the Tiger's Nest.[2] A 16-kilometre (10-mile) road passes up the valley to the ruins of another fortress-monastery, Drukyel Dzong, which was partly destroyed by fire in 1951.[2]

Paro is home to Bhutan's tallest building, the Ta-Dzhong, which is 22 meters (72 feet) high, and has 6 floors. It was completed in 1649.[4]

Airport[]

Main article: Paro Airport

Paro Airport has been described as "the most difficult commercial airport in the world",[5] The airport has only one runway. Airplanes on approach pass by 5,500m Himalayan mountain peaks, and the 1,980m runway length presents a double challenge, due to the extremely high density altitude at the site. As a result, only a handful of airline pilots (8 as of December 2014) are certified to operate commercial aeroplanes there. About 30,000 persons arrive at the airport each year.

Gallery[]

References[]

  1. ^ National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "In The Kingdom Of Bhutan". Global Sapiens. 6 October 2002. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  3. ^ Pommaret, Francoise (2006). Bhutan Himalayan Mountains Kingdom (5th edition). Odyssey Books and Guides. pp. 136–7.
  4. ^ https://www.emporis.com/statistics/tallest-buildings/country/100020/bhutan
  5. ^ [1] Paro Airport, atlas obscura (website), accessed 3 December 2014

External links[]

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