Dzong by wysiwig
Close
Hover over top left image to zoom.
Click anywhere to exit.
Members remain the original copyright holder in all their materials here at Renderosity. Use of any of their material inconsistent with the terms and conditions set forth is prohibited and is considered an infringement of the copyrights of the respective holders unless specially stated otherwise.
Description
Bhutan and Nepal are the only countries in the area which have been independent throughout their history, never conquered, occupied, or governed by an outside power. The mountain passes leading into Bhutan were guarded by fortress monasteries known as Dzongs which helped to keep the country independent. The architecture is massive in style with towering exterior walls surrounding a complex of courtyards, temples, administrative offices, and monks' accommodations. Dzongs serve as the religious, military, administrative, and social centers of their district. They are often the site of an annual tsechu or religious festival.
The Rinpung Dzong constructed in 1644 and seen below is a typical example. On the hill above Rinpung Dzong is a seven storied watchtower fortress or Ta Dzong built in 1649 as an early warning system against any invasion.
Comments (13)
Faemike55
Very impressive! I pity anyone that tried to take these
Wolfenshire
That is an amazing bit of history. I'm trying to imagine what it would have taken to attack. Even the smallest fence and wall led to defeat at Gettysburg; think about storming those walls.
auntietk
That's a fascinating bit of history, and well illustrated by your image. Terrific presentation!
bobrgallegos
Wonderful capture and narrative of this awesome structure!
JuliSonne
They have not only the "holistic medicine". They have also created a "holistic living". Prepared for anything. Religious, military, administrative and social well ..... everything for their people and in harmony with nature. I have great respect. Very clearly in words and pictures, Mark.
durleybeachbum
That is a great word! We learn such a lot from you, Mark. Not only does this place look strong but also handsome.
whaleman
Interesting shot! I am a bit surprised that the structure slopes inward towards the top as it does make climbing quite a bit easier.
photosynthesis
Very interesting architecture & the bridge is unique as well - nice shot...
rockstrider
Great capture and info Mark!
sandra46
SUPERB WORK!
ZanderXL
Never conquered or occupied? Them boys must know some serious kung-fu! :)
Chipka
What architecture! It's funny how universal some things are: no matter where one may be from or what they believe, fortress thingies all tend to look the same (with only a few cosmetic differences). I've seen this shape and overall architectural composition repeated endless around the globe, but I have to say that I really like this particular take on it. I also love the way the fortress-temple-monastery-festival grounds seem to sprout from the rock. This is brilliantly seen and I am happy to finally start catching up a little bit.
netot
Superb! This kind of architecture is very impressive!