The legend of Taktsang (Tiger’s nest) evolved form 747 AD when Guru Padmasmbhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche) chose a cave on a sheer rock face to meditate and, assuming a wrathful form, Guru Dorji Drolo, astride a tigress to subdue the evil spirits in the locality.
Farflung Paro Taktsang became a meditation spot for many important Tibetan Buddhist figures in the subsequent centuries, but it wasn’t until the late 17th century that the temple was built. In 1692, Tenzin Rabgye visited the site and constructed a temple honoring Padma Sambhava.