Tashichho Dzong

Tashichho Dzong stands on the river north of central Thimphu and is the seat of the civil government: the throne room and offices of the king, several ministries, and the summer residence of the Je Khenpo and the central monastic body. The present building dates largely from a rebuilding in the 1960s, when the original structure was reconstructed in traditional style without nails or architectural drawings, though parts of the older fabric were kept. Whitewashed walls, red-banded roofs and a central tower enclose two large courtyards, one civil and one monastic. Because it is a working seat of government, visitor access is limited to after office hours on weekdays and to weekends, and only parts are open. The Thimphu Tshechu fills the courtyard each autumn.

What you actually see

• The riverside walls - the whitewashed fortress along the Wang Chhu.
• Two courtyards - the civil and monastic halves of the dzong.
• The central tower - the utse rising between them.
• The Thimphu Tshechu - masked dances in the courtyard each autumn.

When to go

March to May and September to November. The Thimphu Tshechu falls in September or October and is the biggest festival in the country, filling the dzong for several days. Otherwise visits are limited to evenings and weekends.

Honest expectations

Access is restricted because this is a working government building: weekdays only after about five in the evening, and much of the interior is never open. Photography inside temples is forbidden. Formal dress standards are enforced. During the tshechu the crowds are very large.

Nearby

The National Memorial Chorten is in the city; Buddha Dordenma is south.