The Paro Dzong

The Paro Dzong, a Buddhist monastery at Paro in Bhutan. It ranks as a high point of Bhutanese architecture. It was formerly the meeting hall for the National Assembly and now both the monastic body and district government offices, including the local courts. The Dzong construction began in 1644 on the order of Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal. The dzong is also known as Paro Rinpung Dzong – “the fortress of the heap of jewels”.