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	Dzong architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
		Dzong architecture is a distinctive type of fortress architecture found in the former and present Buddhist kingdoms of the Himalayas, most notably Bhutan.
		The rooms inside the dzong are typically allocated half to administrative function (such as the office of the penlop or governor), and half to religious function, primarily the housing of monks.
		Wangdue Phodrang dzong, for instance, is set upon a spur overlooking the confluence of the Puna Chhu and Tang Chhu rivers thus blocking any attacks by southern invaders who attempted to use a river route to bypass the trackless slopes of the middle Himalayas in attacking central Bhutan.
	en.wikipedia.org /wiki/Dzong_architecture (672 words)

	[No title] (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		Although it was only recently that Dobji Dzong was referred to as a Dzong, research by a Bhutanese historian, Dr C T Dorji, says that, Dobji, built 98 years before Zhabdrung built the first Dzong in Bhutan, had all the salient features of a Dzong.
		Dzongs built by Zhabdrung, especially the eight dzongs, were profoundly for defence and the dual system of governance based on the drukpa kagyu tradition, while the desis basically followed the footsteps of Zhabdrung.
		“Dobji Dzong was used as the headquarters of the Dobji Penlop and it served as the winter residence of the Hungrel monk body of Paro,” Dr C T Dorji said.
	buddhistnews.tv /current/1st-zhong-030303.php (691 words)

	Dzong architecture -- Facts, Info, and Encyclopedia article (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		Bhutanese dzong architecture reached its zenith in the 1600s under the leadership of the great (Llamas) lama Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
		Drukgyel dzong at the head of (Click link for more info and facts about Paro) Paro valley guards the traditional (Himalayish language spoken in Tibet) Tibetan invasion path over the passes of the high Himalayas.
		In previous times the dzongs were built using (Unpaid labor (as for the maintenance of roads) required by a lord of his vassals in lieu of taxes) corvee labor which was applied as a tax against each household in the district.
	www.absoluteastronomy.com /encyclopedia/d/dz/dzong_architecture.htm (555 words)

	Spirituality
		In the sixteen hundreds, numerous fortresses (called dzongs) were built around the country.
		Built of stone and pounded mud, the dzongs are still very imposing structures that epitomize the beautiful architecture of Bhutan.
		In modern times, the Bhutanese dzongs are no longer used for military purposes, but still play a central role as training sites for Buddhist monks.
	www2.canisius.edu /~noonan/cac2004_bhutan/spirituality.htm (342 words)

	Traveling to Bhutan: Jachung Travel
		Dzongs are typically huge, castle-like stone structures, with large courtyards, and they are usually built on hilltops, where they have a commanding view of the surrounding area.
		No nails are used, even today, in the construction of dzongs, and they continue to be built without the use of blueprints or sketches.
		One feature that sets dzongs and religious structures apart from secular structures is that they have a painted red band running around the building just below the roof.
	www.jachungtravel.com /culture.html (922 words)

	ABTO (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		During the time of the Shabdrung (early 17th century) the Dzong system was given a larger dimension to it with the dual purpose of housing monasteries and administrative offices, and serving as protective structures.
		In the present day, Dzongs continue to serve as the administrative headquarters and focus of secular and religious activities in the country’s districts.
		The main courtyard of the Dzong is the dochey paved with large flagstones.
	www.abto.org.bt /architecture.html (1143 words)

	YANA Expeditions Bhutan: Dzongs in Bhutan
		Although Dzong system came to Bhutan from Tibet, and Lam Gyalwa Lhanangpa is credited to have introduced it intoBhutan in the 12th century, yet the system transformed itself into its dual functional role, soon afterwards and to adopt itself to Bhutan's national and socio-economic requirements.
		The Dzong walls are made of mixture of sand and clay bricks, the foundation is stone, and wooden beams are skillfully cut to fit each other most dexterously.
		The entrance to the Dzong, usually by the side of the river, is over a bridge and single gateway linedwith iron plates.
	www.discoverbhutan.biz /pages/yana/y_dzong.html (600 words)

	Bhutan: Architecture of Bhutan
		The great fortresses known as "dzongs" are among the most striking examples of Bhutanese architecture.
		Dzongs first began to be built in Bhutan around the 12th century.
		Because of this, most of the dzongs also played an important role in the religious life of the people.
	www.bootan.com /bhutan/articles/architecture2.htm (625 words)

	81st national assembly (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		In 1997-98 the internal electrical wiring system of the dzong was replaced by a new one, at a cost of Nu 2.546 million, because electricity related fire was a major threat.
		He assured the Assembly members that the dzongs, themselves representing Bhutan’s precious heritage and housing sacred religious treasures, would be well maintained by the government.
		With about Nu 5.3 million spent on the renovation of the dzong between 1997 and 2003 and about Nu 3.1 million kept aside for maintenance during the Ninth Plan, technical experts had assessed that it was not at risk of serious damage.
	www.kuenselonline.com /assembly03/july14wangdu.php (557 words)

	MSN Encarta - Bhutan
		Some 92 percent of Bhutan’s population lives in 4,500 rural settlements, which vary in size and organization from a group of 20 or more houses in the Duars to scattered groups of houses in the Middle Himalayan valleys and small settlements in the Great Himalayan region.
		Most of the populated valleys of Bhutan have a dzong, a fortified monastery that also serves as an administrative center.
		Dzongs are typically built on an outcrop on the steep side of the valley and guarded by rows of Buddhist prayer flags.
	encarta.msn.com /encyclopedia_761568123/Bhutan.html (2643 words)

	Trip to Bhutan.com ::: Cultural Heritage (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		Rising proudly at strategic places, at the entrance to the valley, at the summit of a hill or at the confluence of two rivers, dzongs are built on a grand scale without the help of any drawings and held without a single nail and are outstanding examples of the best in Bhutanese architecture.
		Witness to the profound faith of the Bhutanese, they can be found at crossroads, near a dzong or a monastery and on high mountain passes and all of them have an indefinable presence, radiating serenity and peace.
		The second category ‘Dzong type’ is built like fortress with the central tower enclosing the temple and surrounded by exterior walls against which are built monks cells and service rooms.
	www.triptobhutan.com /cultural_heritage.htm (1677 words)

	Snow Man trekking 23 days - itinerary
		Punakha Dzong is 180 m long, 72 m wide and the utse is six storeys high.
		It was the second of Bhutan's Dzongs and for many years served as the seat of the government.
		The Dzong now houses, the secretariat, the throne room and offices of the king and the ministries of home affairs and finance.
	www.globe-trekker.com /snow-man-itinerary.htm (1162 words)

	Tours & Treks (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		The Dzongs which were built in every districts in the middle ages as fortresses function as the centre of both religious and secular activities now a days.
		The dzongs remain most of the time closed and are open to visitors during festival time for preserving kingdom's religious environment.
		The fertile central valleys (3,600 - 8,500 ft) are covered by verdant coniferous and deciduous forests and dotted with numerous monasteries, temples and dzongs.
	www.norphel.com.bt /bhutan (1193 words)

	Highlights from my Asia trip - Feb 2003
		Misbehaving monks are flogged by dzongs' Discipline Masters, holy works are recited by nuns, and deals are made in the markets--not because it makes for pretty tourism, but because this is the way Bhutanese live.
		Built in 1637, the dzong's construction was foretold in the 8th century by Guru Rinpoche, who introduced Buddhism to Bhutan.
		The dzong is the winter residence of Bhutan's central monk body and chief abbot.
	www.innogize.com /gallery/asiahighlights.html (1983 words)

	Architecture of Bhutan (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		Displaying a great sense of innovation, dzongs, temples and monasteries were built in absolute harmony with the environment and its functions, of which many of these true masterpieces dating far back as the 8th century still stand in proof.
		Rising majestically on strategic locations, at entrance to valleys, summit of hills or river confluence, the dzongs were built on grand scales without the help of any drawings or nails.
		The other is a dzong type, built like fortress with a central tower enclosing a temple and surrounded by exterior walls against which are built monks' living cells and service rooms.
	www.nirvanaexpeditions.com /aboutbhutan/architecture.htm (577 words)

	Bhutanese Architectural Tour
		The dzongs, the fortress castles dominating the landscape in every valley, are truly resplendent examples of Bhutanese native architectural genius.
		The dzongs are built in similar architectural pattern faithfully adhered to through the centuries.
		Today, the Dzong is the seat of the district administration as well as the home for the monastic school.
	www.exoticbootan.com /archit.html (1322 words)

	[No title]
		The valley that Paro occupies is lush, fertile and littered with inspirational dzongs that are architecturally so perfect that dzongs around the kingdom are modelled after them.
		The Paro Dzong and the Taktsang Dzong are only two of the most significant of these.
		The Great Thangka is removed from the museum and displayed in the dzong for a few hours everyday during the Paro tsechu in March.
	www.journeymart.com /DExplorer/AsiaIS/Bhutan/Paro (638 words)

	Kuensel Online (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		“Dzongs are the most magnificent tangible culture we have,” according to the national museum director, Khenpo Phuntsho Trashi.
		This week Bhutanese scholars and researchers presented 14 papers focusing on the “significance of dzongs” in Bhutan in a three-day colloquium in the capital from February 25-27, organised by the national museum of Bhutan, Paro.
		The colloquium, which tried to re-verify and re-validate the date of construction of dzongs in the country and their historical significances was followed by intense analytical discussions among the scholars.
	www.kuenselonline.com /article.php?sid=2564&KUENSELONLINE_PHPSESSID=68914bd66935a0ff60bd40105866d784 (499 words)

	Bhutan Traditional festival (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		The dzongs come to life with colour, music and dancing as valley dwellers and townsfold dress in their finest clothes and join together to exorcise evil spirits and rejoice in a new harvest.
		Tourists are allowed into the dzongs to watch the festivals, but are not allowed into the inner sanctuaries.
		During some tsechus a small fair is erected outside the dzong or goemba.
	www.forceten.com.hk /Bhutan_Festival.htm (803 words)

	Bhutan Travellers - Western & Central Bhutan Tour (Site not responding. Last check: 2007-10-21)
		Simtokha Dzong is one of the oldest Dzongs in Bhutan.
		Furthermore, the Dzong is built in such a way that in the old days, no matter what direction a traveler came from, he was obliged to pass by the Dzong.
		Visit the historical Jakar Dzong built by Minjur Tempa, the third Druk Desi (Temporal ruler) in 1646 A.D. It was later repaired and expanded by Gyalse Tenzin Rabgye, the fourth Desi of Bhutan in 1683 A.D. It is probably one of the biggest Dzongs in Bhutan with the surrounding walls about 1 km in circumference.
	www.bhutanadventure.com /western_and_central_bhutan.htm (1175 words)

	Travel \| Dzongs to remember
		The other end of the valley is dominated by Paro Dzong, an enormous white fortress-monastery, overlooking Paro town and the country's sole international airport.
		The final day of Tsechu begins before dawn and ends shortly afterward, with many thousands climbing the steep path to the dzong in darkness, to witness the brief unveiling of the thondrol - a monumental silk tapestry some 20m square, depicting Guru Rinpoche in various manifestations, the very sight of which is considered a blessing.
		This huge icon is draped over an internal wall of the dzong, and after ritual dances to invoke Guru Rinpoche's presence, pilgrims clutching handfuls of burning incense queue to press their foreheads against it - an even greater blessing.
	travel.guardian.co.uk /print/0,3858,4715135-107746,00.html (1285 words)

	Insiders' Bhutan Travel
		In Bhutan the synthesis of the culture is expressed in the Dzongs, massive monastic fortresses.
		All these Dzongs were built in the 17th century, but they are still a part of a living tradition.
		Most Dzongs and monasteries have an annual festival, the most popular of which are the Tsechus and Drubs.
	www.insidersbhutan.com /Z/Guide/pwp/culture.html (550 words)

	The Rolex Awards: restoration of monasteries in Bhutan, S. Cotte
		The result is that the ground around the temple becomes waterlogged and the damp seeps up the walls, damaging the mural paintings and ultimately, the structure itself.
		Caretakers of dzongs and lhakhangs from throughout the country will be invited and introduced to the handbook and its basic approach to conservation.
		Many lessons Many of the dzongs were first constructed in the 17th century, during a large building program under the rule of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyel.
	www.rolexawards.com /laureates/laureate-10-cotte.html (1128 words)

	Bhutan Architecture: Jakar Dzongs
		Jakar (Byakar) dzong towers almost fifty meters above its high perch overlooking the town of Wangchuling and the Bumthang river.
		One of the grandest dzong (fortress-monasteries), it is surrounded by a wall of stone about one and a half kilometers in circumference.
		Besides their steep walls intended to discourage attackers, the dzongs are equipped with numerous arrow slits from which a defender could fire safely over a ninety degree area.
	www.orientalarchitecture.com /bhutan/JAKARFORTS.htm (150 words)

	THE COMFORTS - Bhutan > Culture & Society > Architecture
		Dzongs (fortresses), Lhakhangs (temples), Goenpas (monasteries), Chortens (stupas), palaces, bridges and vernacular housing that can be seen across the countryside from the diverse but harmonious architectural expressions of the cultural heritage and living traditions of the Bhutanese people.
		Among the diverse architectural expressions of the country, the castle-like Dzongs, with their massive stone walls, large courtyards and beautiful architectural details and galleries, are the finest examples of Bhutanese architecture.
		Impressive monasteries, set in commanding positions on hilltops or at the confluence of rivers, are the administrative centers of their regions.
	www.thecomforts.com /bhutan_architecture.htm (382 words)

	Encyclopedia: History of Bhutan
		Until the early 1600s, Bhutan existed as a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms until unified by the Tibetan lama and military leader Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal.
		Escaping political foes in Tibet he arrived in Bhutan in 1616 and initiated a program of fortification and military consolidation, overseeing the construction of impressive dzongs or fortresses such as Simtokha Dzong which guards the entrance to Thimphu valley.
		An insightful leader, he used cultural symbols as well as military force to establish a Bhutanese national identity, including the initiation of a number of sacred dances to be performed in the annual tsechu festivals.
	www.nationmaster.com /encyclopedia/History-of-Bhutan (2702 words)

	Mercury-India.com-travel agents and tour operators in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Srilanka
		It was he who gave Bhutan its first written laws, and established a network of dzongs, the imposing fortress monasteries from which the country was governed.
		This town forms the central hub of the nation and is historically the place from where attempts at unifying the country were launched.
		Trashigang Dzong, built in 1659, serves as the administrative seat for the district as well as the home of the monk body.
	www.mercury-india.com /tour/bhutan.htm (1036 words)

	dzongs of bhutan
		It is the oldest Dzong in the country, and today houses the Rigzhung Lobdra for buddhist studies.
		Rinpung Dzong, which means "Fortress of the Heap of Jewels", is one of the oldest and the celebrated Dzongs of Bhutan.
		Punakha Dzong lies at the juntion of Phochh (Pho River) and Mochhu (Mo River).
	www.klessheim.sts.ac.at /ith/ith0102/arun/dzongs.htm (250 words)

	Bumthang valley, Kingdom of Bhutan
		The hill was chosen by an assembly of lamas in 1549 when a white bird rose suddenly and settled on the hill.
		Not until 1677 was the dzong built, but (unlike almost all other dzongs) Jakar Dzong has suffered but one fire.
		Monks' robes are hung to dry near the monks' quarters in the dzong.
	www.innogize.com /gallery/asia_bhutan_bumthang3.html (670 words)

	RAOnline Bhutan: Architecture in Bhutan
		Fortresses such as Jathel Dzong, Chelkha Dzong and Dongoen Dzong were built by the Lhapa Kagyu religious school which once dominated the western region in the 12th century.
		From the second half of the 19th century and especially after the earthquake of 1905, temples and dzongs were restored and palaces were built.
		The dzong type is a monastery built like a fortress with a main tower, housing many temples and a surrounding outer structure which provides accommodation for the monks.
	mypage.bluewindow.ch /raonline/pages/bt/visin/bt_archi01.html (904 words)

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