Bhutan · 17th century
Simtokha Dzong ('dzong' means "castle-monastery") also known as Sangak Zabdhon Phodrang (Bhutanese language meaning: "Palace of the Profound Meaning of Secret Mantras") is a small dzong. It was built in 1628 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, who unified Bhutan. It is the first of its kind built in Bhutan. An important historical monument and former Buddhist monastery, today it houses one of the premier Dzongkha language learning institutes. It recently underwent renovation.
Text adapted from “Simtokha Dzong” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Simtokha Dzong ranks #2,592 of 9,035 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #5 of the 14 mapped in Bhutan. Founded 1628, it is older than 28% of the atlas's dated landmarks, one of 708 atlas entries founded in the 17th century. 6 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Thimphu, 5 km away. See how Bhutan compares in the castle statistics.
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