Trails and Treasures

Kyichu Lhakhang is another of the temples built by Songtsen Gampo to pin down the ogress in 659.

Kyichu Lhakhang

The road through the valley to the lhakhang had recently been resurfaced so it was much smoother than most Bhutanese roads, but its width was fairly typical.

Remember, Paro is the location of Bhutan’s only airport.  It’s huge in comparison to most of the valleys in Bhutan with lots of wide open space.

While the Zhabdrung may have waited several years after the 1644 Tibetan invasion to build his celebratory Drukgyel Dzong, he began immediately to build a true fortress for the Paro Valley on the foundations of Hungrel Dzong.  His new dzong, called Rinpung Dzong, was consecrated in 1646.  Built on a hill with massive buttressed walls, its a Bhutanese architectural masterpiece.

Rinpung Dzong at Paro

Cantilever Bridge to Paro Dzong

Entrance steps into Paro Dzong

Paintings in entrance hall

Four Friends

Guru Rinpoche taming a tiger

Administrative Dochey

Utse

Monks at Paro Dzong

Window painting

Courtyard

Monastic building

Monastic quarter is several stories lower than the administrative

More walls in gold and black

Not every dzong has been restored after suffering a devastating fire.  Drukgyel Dzong, which was built in 1647 to commemorate victory over the Tibetans in 1644, was left in ruins when it suffered a fire in 1951.  Drukgyel Dzong means “Fortress of the Victorious Drukpa.”

Prayer wheel and flags at Drukgyel Dzong

Exterior walls of Drukgyel Dzong

Old steps up to entrance of Drukgyel Dzong

Entrance courtyard

There's no stucco left on this wall

This tower still had its stucco and paint

The walls were an interesting mix of building materials.

Mix of building materials in walls

Cut-stone walls

Rough stone walls

The dzong is at the end of Paro valley near a major route to Tibet, so the mountains loom up behind the dzong.

The way to Tibet

In the valley, some of the rice fields had been planted.

Paro Valley from Drukgyel Dzong

Rice fields

The dzong at Wangdue Phodrang was built by the Zhabdrung in 1638 at the confluence of the Punak Tsang Chhu and the Dang Chhu.

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong on a bluff

To discourage attacks cacti were planted on the hillside.

However, once one attains the hilltop, the way into the dzong was much easier than at the others I’d visited.

Entrance to Wandue Phodrang Dzong

This dzong was under renovation; thus, the pile of building materials in the above photo.  For me one of the more interesting facets of this dzong was the fact it had not been restored; it looked old.

Dochey in administrative area

The painting on the utse may date from when the dzong was rebuilt after the 1897 earthquake.

Utse at Wangue Phodrang Dzong

At Wangdi one can see the mountains between the buildings.

Unlike the dzongs with walls around them, at Wangdi one can see the mountains between the buildings.

In the religious sector of the dzong the monks’ quarters leave little room for outdoor gatherings.

Religious sector of Wangi Dzong

The building at the far end houses the main assembly hall.  Note the rocks holding the wooden roof in place.

Wangdi Assembly Hall

If the wall paintings were a century old, they were remarkably preserved.

This wheel of life was much less colorful than some, but the detail was amazing.

As we were leaving the dzong we saw a group of young buys using part of a chorten as a swimming pool.