Simtokha Dzong
སེམ་ཏོག་ཁ་རྫོང་
Bhutan's first dzong, built in 1629 by Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. Small and rustic, it now houses a Dzongkha language school and marks the starting point of Bhutanese dzong architecture.
Simtokha Dzong sits on a ridge about 5 km south of Thimphu. Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan, built it in 1629. It is considered the first dzong in Bhutan to combine administrative and religious functions, and it became the architectural prototype for dzongs built later across the country. The dzong is modest in size, with white walls and red roofs. The central main building houses statues of Shakyamuni Buddha, Avalokiteshvara and other deities. Its outer wall, beside the prayer wheels, is decorated with hundreds of finely carved stone reliefs, which gives it great historical value. Today the dzong is home to the Dzongkha and Buddhist Studies School, so you often see young monks and students here. Getting there: it makes a convenient stop on the way from Thimphu to Dochula Pass or Punakha. Note: photography is not allowed inside the temple, and visitors should wear long sleeves and long trousers.
Opening hours
About 09:00–17:00 (check on site)
Nearby sights
- Buddha Dordenma
- National Memorial Chorten
- Clock Tower Square & Norzin Lam
- Centenary Farmers Market
- Changangkha Lhakhang
- Folk Heritage Museum
- National Institute for Zorig Chusum
- Tashichho Dzong