The dzong is the defining building of Bhutan, and understanding it explains a great deal about the country. Each is simultaneously a fortress, a monastery and the administrative headquarters of its district — religion and government sharing one courtyard, which is a literal expression of how the state was organised from the seventeenth century onwards.
How they are built
Dzongs are constructed without nails and without architectural drawings. Massive stone or rammed-earth walls slope inward as they rise; timber floors, galleries and elaborately carved window frames are joined by interlocking woodwork. The knowledge is held by master builders and passed on directly. When Wangdue Phodrang Dzong burnt down in 2012, it was rebuilt the same way.
The layout is consistent: an entrance passage, one or more courtyards, and a central tower called the utse. One courtyard belongs to the monastic body, the other to the district administration. During festivals, the courtyard becomes the stage.
The ones to see
Trongsa Dzong, in the centre of the country, is the largest and the most dramatically sited — a sprawl of buildings on a ridge above a gorge, historically controlling the only east-west route through Bhutan. Whoever held Trongsa held the country, which is why the crown prince still traditionally serves as its governor before becoming king. The watchtower above it is now an excellent museum of the monarchy.
Punakha Dzong is the most beautiful. Rinpung Dzong in Paro is the most photographed. Trashigang Dzong in the far east perches above a river gorge and sees very few foreign visitors. Wangdue Phodrang, rebuilt after the fire, shows the tradition alive rather than preserved.
Visiting
Dzongs are working buildings, and access is limited to specified hours — usually late afternoon on weekdays outside office hours, and longer at weekends. Some inner temples are closed to non-Buddhists entirely.
There is a dress code and it is enforced: long trousers or a long skirt, sleeves covering the shoulders, no hats, shoes removed before entering temples. Bhutanese visitors wear formal national dress with a ceremonial scarf — the kabney for men, rachu for women — and you will notice that officials keep to it strictly. Photography is generally permitted in courtyards and prohibited inside temples.