Bhutan: Great Buddha Dordenma

Bhutan is a Bhuddist kingdom and the religion permeates absolutely everything here. Buddha Dordenma is a massive complex (still under construction) on a hill overlooking the Thimpu Valley (where the capital city is located). This is the world’s largest Buddha statue rising 169ft/51m, it is painted in gold paint (that used loads of real gold in it). The statue alone cost $47 million and will eventually house 125,000 small Buddhas inside – 100,000 8-inch-tall and 25,000 12-inch-tall, all gilded! The outside has panoramic views and statues of gilded goddesses. The giant Buddha is being built for the 100-year anniversary of Bhutan and is supposed to “bestow blessings, peace and happiness on the whole world” (at a cost of over $120 million when completed).
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