Zhamgang Dzong

Where Lam Zhang built a monastery in 12th century the monastery was named "Zhangang" or immeasurable mound based on the name of the founder who visited Bhutan from Zhamling in Tibet in his mission to propagate Buddhism. "Zhemgang, then called as Khengrig Namsum in olden times derived its name from Zhangang, different pronunciation changed the name into Zhemgang," the researcher at the national library said. The monastery, which was later rebuilt as a dzong in the 17thcentury had a significant role in the evolution and shaping of the history of Khengrig Namsum. It has witnessed the major events of triumphs and blunders, withstood intrigues, a sacrilegious murder and cruel jolts of nature in the history of Zhemgang.

Pema Gatshel Dzong

Pema Gatshel Dzong was built in 1981, the Dzong is usual in that it has no central tower, and a single courtyard that is hared equally by the lay administration and the monastic body. The building has three storey – the ground floor for political administration, and the middle floor with a chapel containing images of Shantaraksite, Guru Padmakara and King Trisong detsen, flanked by the eight manifestations of Guru Padmakara, and the Twenty-one aspects of Tara, on the top floor, there is a chapel containing one thousand miniature images of Tara.

Drugyel Dzong

Paro Drugyel Dzong

Further in the north from Paro town, are the ruins of Drugyel Dzong built in 1647 (16th Century), which straddles a hill overlooking approaches from Tibet. Once a strategic fortress critical in repulsing invading Tibetan armies from the north, it was laid waste by a fire in 1954. A sheltered passageway, also in ruins, runs from the Dzong to the distant bank of the river to ensure adequate water supplies in times siege. A small hamlet surrounds the ruins on one side with its archery range crisscrossing the path up to the burnt out fortress. In good weather, on may glimpse the peak of the sacred Mount Jomolhari.

Daga Dzong

Zhabdrung Rinpochhe, after unifying the western part of the country, decided to expand the Drukpa rule ro the southern region. Accordingly he visited Dagana and in about 1651, laid the foundation for the dzong which he named Trashi Yangtse Dzong. Tenpa Thinley was appointed as the first Daga Poenlop to govern the southern region fom this Dzong. Daga Dzong become the seat of the Daga Poenlop for many years. Today it is the headquarters of the Dagana Dzongkhag

About Dzong (Fortress) of Bhutan

Dzong's (Fortress) of Bhutan

The word "Dzong" loosely translated mean a fortress. For over three hundred years they have served as an effective defence against any attack or invasion. That is why, they were built mostly on mountains spurs overlooking and commanding the whole valley below. They were often surrounded by watch towers and observation posts situated higher up the hillsides. The Dzong today serve the function of both administrative center and a monastery.

Dzongs were first built in Bhutan in the twelfth century by La, Gyalwa Lhanangpa, an important leader of the Lhapa Kagyu. Do Ngon Dzong (Blue Stone Dzong) where Dechen Phodrang stands today was built by him. It was only from the time of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in he seventeenth century that the Dzong played a significant role in the history of Bhutan.They not only served as an effective defence but also became the centers of religious and cultural activities and the seat of civil authority.

Today the major Dzongs are the seats of district administrations. They house the offices of the civil authority headed by the Dzongda and district court headed by the Thrimpons.

GASA DZONG

Gasa is most famous for its Layap people, and for the Snowman Trek, one of the most challenging treks in the Himalayas. Gasa is bordered by Tibet to the north and by Thimphu, Punakha, and Wangdue Phodrang dzongkhags to the south. Gasa is divided into four gewogs:

* Goenkhamae Gewog
* Goenkaatoe Gewog
* Laya Gewog
* Lunana Gewog

National Council from Gasa

Formally, Gasa was a dungkhag under Punakha dzongkhag and it was made a separate dzongkhag at the beginning of the 7 th plan in 1992. It consists of four Geogs – Goenkhatoe, Goenkhamae, Laya and Lunana. Gasa lies on the old trade route to Tibet. The Gasa people take pride in the fact that the Zhabdrung entered Bhutan through Gasa and there are many sacred places and artifacts revered as being blessed by his presence and association. In fact, the map for the Geog as drawn by the community use landform associated with the Zhabdrung as reference point. For instance, the Phulakha (pass in the north) is where it is believed that the people of Gasa made their first offerings to the Zhabdrung who had camped there on his way into Bhutan.

Samdrup Jongkhar Dzong

The Dzongkhag has eight Community Schools, seven Primary Schools, six Junior High Schools and one High School with a total of students of 6,995 as of December 2001.
Samdrup Jongkhar is the gateway to and commercial hub for five Eastern dzongkhags. The dzongkhag’s potential is further enhanced by the commissioning of Kurichu hydropower. Availability of reliable hydropower combined with modern Telecom facilities will change the development landscape of the dzongkhag by offering tremendous opportunities for household, business and industries. Lack of adequate road network also has direct impact on socio-economic development and quality of lives of the people in the dzongkhag.

Trashiyangtse Dzong

Trashiyangtse was a Dungkhag under the administration of Trashigang Dzongkhag till 1992. It was created as a separate full fledged Dzongkhag co-inciding with the start of the seventh plan in 1992. The Dzongkhag has eight geogs namely Bumdeling, Jamkhar, Khamdang, Ramjar, Tomzhangtshen, Trashiyangtse, Toetsho, and Yalang with 117 villages and 3489 households..

Two and half five-year development plans have brought about manifold socio-economic changes in the lives of the people in the Dzongkhag. As of first half of 2006 (4th year of 9th Five Year Plan) the Dzongkhag has one Higher Secondary School, one Middle Secondary School, four Lower Secondary Schools, twenty two community primary Schools, one Hospital, seven Basic Health Units (BHU), eight Renewable Natural Resources (RNR-EC) Extension Centers, one Institute for Zorig Chusum and a 40 KM black topped road. Over 70% of the households have access to piped drinking water supply.

Trashigang Dzong

This dzong, or fortress, was built in 1659 by the third Druk Desi to defend against Tibetan invaders. Because of its altitude invading armies remarked that “it is not a dzong on the ground, it is in the sky”. Now it became the seat of successive Trashigang Dzongpoens who were called the Trashigangpas. Today the Dzong is the headquarters of the Trashigang Dzongkhag

Mongar Dzong

Mongar Dzong

Mongar Dzong, Although built in the 1930s and one of Bhutan’s newest dzongs, it is constructed in the same way as all earlier dzongs, without plans or nails. A visit to Mongar Dzong shows one how traditional Bhutanese architecture has continued to thrive through the centuries.

Bumthang Jakar Dzong

BUMTHANG: JAKAR DZONG

Jakar Dzong, Constructed in 1549 by the great grandfather of the first Shabdrung, the Dzong was initially built as a monastery. It was upgraded in 1646, after the Shabdrung had firmly established his power. Jakar Dzong is now used as the administrative center for Bumthang valley, and also houses the regional monk body.

Bumthang farms yield buckwheat, dairy products, honey, and apples among other products.

The language spoken in the Bumthang district is known as Bumthangkha. It is a Tibeto-Burman language closely related to Dzongkha, the national language of Bhutan. Bumthangkha is partially comprehensible to speakers of Dzongkha, which originated in valleys to the west of Bumthang. Each of the four valleys of Bumthang has its own dialect, and the remnants of the Kheng kingdom to the south in Zhemgang speak Khengkha which may be classified as a dialect of Bumthangka.

Trongsa Dzong

Trongsa Dzong

The Trongsa Dzong was the ancestral home of the ruling dynasty. It is also the district administration office of the Trongsa district. It was built in 1648 A.D. The landscape around Trongsa is spectacular, and for miles on end the Dzong seems to tease you so that you wonder if you will ever reach it. Backing on to the mountain and built on several levels, the Dzong fits narrowly on a spur that sticks out into the gorge of the Mangde River and overlooks the routes south and west. The view from the Dzong extends for many kilometers and in former times nothing could escape the vigilance of its watchmen. Furthermore, the Dzong is built in such a way that in the old days, no matter what direction a traveler came from, he was obliged to pass by the Dzong. This helped to augment its importance as it thus had complete control over all east-west traffic. The Ta-Dzong, an ancient Watch Tower of the Trongsa Dzong is located on top of a steep hill about 1 km beyond the Trongsa Dzong. The watch tower displays many interesting armors used by the Bhutanese soldiers during the olden days.

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong

WANGDUE PHODRANG DZONG

The Wangdue Phodrang Dzong was built in 1638 which dominates the district. The name is said to have been given by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal who was searching for the best location for a dzong to prevent incursions from the south. At the chosen spot the Shabdrung encountered a boy named Wangdi playing beside the river and hence named the dzong "Wangdi's Palace".

Paro Rinpung Dzong

PARO RINPUNG DZONG

Paro Rinpung Dzong is a large Drukpa Kagyu Buddhist monastery and fortress in Paro District in Bhutan. It houses the district Monastic Body and government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag.

In the fifteenth century local people offered the crag of Hungrel at Paro to Lama Drung Drung Gyal, a descendant of Pajo Drugom Zhigpo. Drung Drung Gyal built a small temple there and later a five storied Dzong or fortress which was known as Hungrel Dzong.

In the seventeenth century, his descendants, the lords of Hungrel, offered this fortress to the Drukpa heirarch Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, in recognition of his religious and temporal authority. In 1644 the Shabdrung dismantled the existing Dzong and laid the foundations of a new Dzong. In 1646 the Dzong was reconsecrated and established as the administrative and monastic center of the western region and it became known as Rinpung Dzong.

A great annual festival or tsechu is held at Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese Lunar Calander. At the break of dawn on the morning of the fifteenth day, a great sacred Tongdrol banner depicting the Eight Manifestations of Guru Rinpoche is displayed for the public.

Punakha Dzong

Punakha Dzong was constructed by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in 1637-38. It is the winter home of Bhutan's Central Monastic Body led by HH the Je Khenpo. The Dzong houses the most sacred relics of the Southern Drukpa Kagyu School including the Rangjung Kasarpani, and the sacred remains of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and Terton Padma Lingpa. In 1907, Punakha Dzong was the site of the coronation of Ugyen Wangchuck (or Deb Nagpo) as the first King of Bhutan. In 1987, the dzong was partially destroyed by fire.

Due to its location at the confluence of the Pho Chhu and Mo Chhu rivers in the Punakha-Wangdue valley, the Dzong is vulnerable to flash flooding caused by glacier lakes (GLOF). According to a recent report, flash flood damage to Punakha Dzong occurred in 1957, 1960 and 1994.

A covered wooden cantilever bridge crossing the Mo Chhu River was built together with the Dzong in the 17th century. This bridge was washed away by a flash flood in 1957 or 1958. In 2006 work started on a new covered wooden cantilever bridge of traditional construction with a free span of 55 meters which was completed in 2008.

Thimphu Tashichoe Dzong

Thimphu Tashichoedzong

Tashichoedzong is in the Capital city of Bhutan, Thimphu. Tashichoedzong or fortress on the northern edge of the city, on the western bank of the Wang Chu River. It has traditionally been the seat of the Monastrict body and summer capital of the country.

"It was built by the first Religion head, who also founded the Lho-drukpa sect of Buddhism, which has remained the distinctive sect of Bhutan.

The main structure of the whitewashed building is two-storied with three-storied towers at each of the four corners topped by triple-tiered golden roofs. There is also a large central tower or utse.
Tashichoedzong in Winter

The original Thimphu dzong (the Dho-Ngyen Dzong, or Blue Stone Dzong) was built in 1216 by Lama Gyalwa Lhanangpa where Dechen Phodrang now stands above Thimphu. Soon after, Lama Phajo Drukgom Shigpo, who first brought the Drukpa Kagyu lineage to Bhutan, took it over.

It has been the seat of Bhutan's government since 1952 and presently houses the throne room and offices of the king, the secretariat and the ministries of home affairs and finance. Other government departments are housed in buildings nearby. West of the dzong is a small tower of Ney Khang Lhakhang which houses a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha and protective deities. Thimphu Tashi Cho Dzong, the office of the King and the Throne Room and also the Summer Capital of Monastic Body lead by His Holiness the Je Khenpo (Chief Abbot) who spend six months here during summer and move to Punakha for winter for another six months.

In 1641 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal acquired it from Lama Phajo's descendants, but soon finding it too small, he built another one, known as the lower Dzong for the administration, keeping the older one for the monks. The original dzong was destroyed by fire in 1771 and everything was moved to the lower one which was expanded then, and again by the 13th Druk Desi (1744-1763), and also in 1866. It was damaged during an earthquake in 1897 and rebuilt in 1902. King Jigme Dorji Wangchuck had it completely renovated and enlarged over five years after he moved the capital to Thimpu in 1952 in traditional style using neither nails nor written plans.
Tashichoedzong in 1921