Lhuntse
In the northeastern corner of Bhutan lies the ancient region of Kurtoe or Lhuntse as it is known today. It is the ancestral home of our Kings and hosts several of the sacred sites of pilgrimage in the country. It is located 77km from Mongar (3 hours’ drive) and is one of the most isolated districts in Bhutan.
The landscape is spectacular with stark cliffs towering above river gorges and dense coniferous forests. The region is famous for its weavers and their distinctive textiles are generally considered to be the best in the country. Kurtoep women are especially adept at weaving a textile called Kishuthara
LhuntseDzong
This mighty fortress, popularly known as Lhundub Rinchentse sits upon a hill overlooking the Kurichu River.
It was constructed in 1654 by the Trongsa Penlop, Chogyal Minjur Tempa upon the site of an older temple built by Nagi Wangchuk in 1552. Today the dzong is the administrative and the religious centre of the district. It houses many sacred artifacts that were installed by the 4th Druk Desi Tenzin Rabgay.
Statue of Guru Padmasambhava
The 173 feet bronze statue of Guru Rinpoche in Tangmachu is major tourist attraction in world.
The statue was built after the sacred prophesy of the the great tertonLerabLingpa (1856 – 1926), who prophesied that, ‘At one point of time, there will be a war of horses in Kurtoe valley. To prevent this war, a statue of Guru Nangsi Zilnoen should be built’.
Similarly, the late Lama Sonam Zangpo in the 20th century, the most revered Yogi of Bhutan, emphasized that, for ensuring continued prosperity in the world in general and Bhutan in particular, a giant statue of Guru Rinpoche should be built in Takila, Lhuntse district in eastern Bhutan.
KilungLhakhang
The tiny village of Kilung is a twenty-minute drive from the Dzong on the route towards Kurtoe Dungkhar. In the village you will come across the Kilung Lhakhang situated on a ridge overlooking the Kurichu River.
This village is inhabited by the Tshanglas who migrated and settled here during the late 1880’s.It was built on the former site of the Kilung Gyalpo, a regional chieftain.
This temple houses the sacred chain mall that was once used to recapture a statue that miraculously flew away from the Lhuentse Dzong.