Simtokha Dzong, Buddhist fortress in Thimphu, Bhutan
The fortress stands on a ridge 5 kilometers south of Thimphu, featuring a central tower with twelve sides and traditional Bhutanese architectural elements.
Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal constructed Simtokha Dzong in 1629, making it the first structure in Bhutan to combine both administrative and religious functions.
The central temple contains statues of Sakyamuni Buddha with eight bodhisattvas, while its walls display ancient murals and embroidered religious paintings.
The Institute for Language and Culture Studies operates near the fortress, which remains an educational center for Buddhist teachings and Bhutanese traditions.
The name Simtokha derives from the belief that the fortress was built upon a rock where a demon was trapped, with simmo meaning demoness and do meaning stone.
Location: Thimphu
Inception: 1629
GPS coordinates: 27.43906,89.67082
Latest update: May 11, 2025 19:19
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