ARCHITECTURE

1. Simtokha Dzong
-Located Along the old road from Paro to Phuentsholing, about 5km south of Thimphu

-Was built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal and the first dzong built in Bhutan
during the 17th century.

-Officially known as Sangak Zabdhon Phodrang ‘Palace of the Profound Meaning of

Secret Mantras’.

-The present site where Simtokha Dzong stands is the boundary between three western
regions: Sha (Wangduephodrang), Wang (Thimphu) and Pa (Paro).

-base sa history and legends of simthoka dzong, yung mga travellers na nag sstay sa
dzong na ito ay hinaharras ng mga demon na meron sa lugar na iyon and it was Zhabdrung who subdue
those demons and banish them into a rock na kung saan doon naka construct ang Simthoka Dzong to
ensure the imprisonment of the demon confining it there for eternity.

2. Gangtey Monastery

-Located in the Wangdue Phodrang District in central Bhutan.

- Established in 1613 by the first Peling Gyalsé Rinpoche or Gangteng Tulku who was the
grandson of the great Bhutanese "treasure revealer" Terchen Pema Lingpa

-Gangtey Goenpa spur in the Black Mountains called the Gangteng Sang Nga Chöling,
which translates to “summit for the teaching of the dharma.”

-known as Gangtey Gonpa or Gangtey Monastery, is an important monastery of

Nyingmapa school of Buddhism, the main seat of the Pema Lingpa tradition.

3. Paro Dzong

-Paro Dzong is the administrative seat of Paro district. Paro Dzong, officially
known as Rinpung Dzong, ‘Fortress of Heap of Jewels"

-was built in 1644 under the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.

- It is one of the popular Dzongs and its picture can even be seen in the latest
10 Ngultrum cash notes and the former 5 Ngultrum cash notes. In the 1906, the Dzong caught
on fire and many important relics were lost on the fire and on 1969 the original bridge of the
Dzong was also washed away by flood.
4. Kurjay Lhakhang

- also known as Kurjey monastery which is located in Bumthang valley. Nestled

on the side of a hill, surrounded by 108 chorten walls

-3 different building Guru Lhakhang, Sampa Lhundrup Lhakhang and Ka Gon

Phor Sum Lhakhang.

a. Guru Lakhang - Guru Lhakhang today stands on the grounds of this

very cave and invites myriad of Buddhist devotees from across the country. Just
behind a wall on the floor is the popular meditation cave which the normal
public is prohibited from accessing.

b. second temple, the Sampa Lhundrup Lhakhang, in 1900, when he was

still penlop of Trongsa. is a shrine of great religious importance, was built by
the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuk in the year 1900, when he was still
serving as the Penlop of Trongsa.

c. Ka Gon Phor Sum Lhakhang - The third and the most recent temple in
the complex was built in 1984 under the patronage of Her Majesty, the Queen
Mother, Ashi Kesang Wangchuk. She also built a wall of 108 Chortens around
the whole complex and had the courtyard in front of the three temples paved
with stone slabs. These Chortens, known as Jangchub Chortens are symbols
that commemorate Buddha’s victory over evil forces and the absolute purity of
his claim to enlightenment.

5. Trashigang Dzong

- located on the ledge of a mountain with steep cliffs on the three sides, overlooking
the confluence of the Drangme Chhu and the Gamri Chhu.

-The dzong was built in 1659 to protect the country from external invasions from Tibet

-Due to its tactical location, Trashigang Dzong is regarded as one of the most
strategically placed dzongs in Bhutan and plays a crucial part in the national defense.

6. Taktsang Monastery
- famously known as Tiger’s Nest Monastery, is located in Paro district, Bhutan. The
monastery is one of the most venerated places of pilgrimage in the Himalayan. Taktsang
clings to the rock towering 800m (2,600feet) above the valley and is located 2,950m
(9,678 feet) above the seal level. It takes about 2 to 3 hours (depending on your fitness
level) to climb to the monastery from the road of Ramthangkha, 12 kilometres from
Paro town.

- A temple complex was first built in 1692, around the Taktsang Senge Samdup (stag
tshang seng ge bsam grub) cave where Guru Padmasambhava is said to have meditated
for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours in the 8th
century. Padmasambhava is credited with introducing Buddhism to Bhutan and is the
tutelary deity of the country.