Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha was built in 1629 by the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the first dzong he raised and the oldest to survive in its original form, placed at the junction where the routes from Paro, Punakha and the south converge on the Thimphu valley. It is smaller and more compact than the later great dzongs, with a central tower rising from a single courtyard. Its most noted feature is a set of over three hundred carved slate panels of saints and philosophers set into the gallery around the tower, and mural cycles inside the main temple. The name is said to come from a story about a demon pinned to the rock beneath. The dzong housed a monastic school for many years and has been restored in phases.

What you actually see

• The oldest dzong - the 1629 fortress in its original form.
• Carved slate panels - over three hundred figures in the gallery.
• The central tower - the utse rising from a single courtyard.
• Wall paintings - mural cycles in the main temple.

When to go

March to May and September to November. The dzong is small and takes under an hour, and it sits on the road south, so it fits easily into a day. Access can be restricted when the monastic school is in session.

Honest expectations

It is considerably smaller than Paro or Punakha and visitors expecting the same scale will be surprised. Photography inside is forbidden. Restoration work has closed sections at times. It sits beside a busy road junction, which affects the setting.

Nearby

Thimphu lies north; Dochula pass is east on the Punakha road.