Structure
The palace is a three-storied building set amidst willow trees, lawns and ponds. Except for the present King, other members of the Royal family reside here. Its architecture is entirely in Bhutanese traditional style including the furnishings inside. The palace interior furnishings are said to be encased in metal in repoussé technique superimposed on white velvet.
The late Royal Grandmother, Gayum Phuntsho Choden Wangchuck lived in this palace for many years and possessed her own chapel, adorned with paintings and carvings and candles burning from bowls. Gayum employed a number of women at the palace to weave garments for men and women, producing national dress costumes. As the palace frequently hosts international delegations, it has its own helipad to facilitate swift access even though there is no airport in Thimphu.
In 1957, King Druk Gyalpo Jigme Wangchuck commissioned a skilled artist named Lam Durlop Dorji of Bumthang to open an embroidery school at the palace, to instruct some 30 young monks in this field. The school has produced several notable thangka embroideries, notably Thongdrel (large thangkas hanging from the roof tops of monasteries and dzongs), and Thangkas (scroll paintings). As Bhutan is a Tibetan Buddhist nation this school heavily revolves around Buddhism which is reflected in its artwork.
Read more about this topic: Dechencholing Palace
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