Rinpung Dzong

Rinchen Pung Dzong means 'Fortress on a Heap of Jewels,' once served as the meeting hall for the National Assembly. Now, Rinpung houses both the monastic body and district government offices, including the local courts. Most of the area is prohibited for the tourists, but visit this Dzong for its marvel architecture. Famous as Paro Dzong, it was built in 1644 under the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the holder of Drukpa- Kagyud Buddhist School, and the unifier of Bhutan. This dzong has been used on various occasions to protect Paro from the invasion of Tibet. This fort is built on a hillside due to which the front courtyard of the administrative section is 6 m higher than the portion of monastic courtyard. Outside the dzong is the ground where dancers perform the popular dance forms of tsechu. Below the dzong is a traditional wooden bridge called Nyamai Zam, which was reconstructed when the original one got washed away in a flood in 1969. The Dzong courtyard is opened daily but on the weekends some areas inside has restricted entry.