Trongsa Dzong

Trongsa Dzong sprawls along a spur above the Mangde Chhu gorge in a series of courtyards, towers and stepped roofs that make it the largest fortress in Bhutan. Its position was the point: the old east-west trail passed directly through the dzong's own courtyards, so whoever held Trongsa controlled the country, and by tradition the crown prince still serves as its governor before ascending the throne. Above it stands the Ta Dzong watchtower, now a well-made museum of the monarchy and Bhutanese history. The approach view from across the gorge, with the dzong seemingly growing out of the ridge, is one of the great sights of the Himalaya.

History

The Drukpa lama Ngagi Wangchuk came here from Ralung in 1541 and in 1543, having seen a light at the far end of the spur, built a small meditation room and temple, around which grew a village called drongsar, new village, the origin of the name Trongsa. In 1647 his great-grandson, the Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, built the first dzong, Chökhor Rabtentse; it was enlarged through the 18th century, with the Chenrezig Lhakhang in 1715 and the Maitreya temple complex in 1771, damaged in the Assam earthquake of 1897 and extensively renovated in 1927 and 1999 (Wikipedia, Trongsa Dzong).

The main sights

• The dzong courtyards - the cascading complex along the ridge.
• Ta Dzong museum - the round watchtower turned monarchy museum.
• The gorge viewpoint - the classic view from the road across the valley.
• Trongsa Tshechu - the winter festival with masked dances in the courtyards.

When to go

Spring and autumn give the clearest weather and most comfortable driving on the mountain road. The Trongsa Tshechu falls in winter, usually December or January, and fills the courtyards with masked dance. Cloud often fills the gorge in summer monsoon months.

Things to know

Trongsa is a long drive from anywhere - it exists on itineraries as the central stop between west and east, and rushing through means missing the museum, which is genuinely one of the country's best. Parts of the dzong are administrative and monastic and closed to visitors. Photography is prohibited inside temple halls. Bhutan's package requirement and daily fee apply as everywhere.

Nearby

Bumthang's valleys to the east and the Phobjikha valley to the west.

Key facts