Dzong at Paro

Dzongs are ancient fortress-monarteries that now serve as the civil and monastic administration headquarters of each district.The Dzong architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monk housing.Dzongs were frequently built on a hilltop or mountain spur. If the dzong is built on the side of a valley wall, a smaller dzong is typically built directly uphill from the main dzong with the purpose of keeping the slope clear of attackers who might otherwise shoot downward into the courtyard of the main dzong below.This photograph is of the Rinpung Dzong at Paro 03/03/2007 11:40:34