Theme Week Bhutan – Wangdue Phodrang

Wednesday, 28 July 2021 - 12:00 pm (CET/MEZ) Berlin | Author/Destination:
Category/Kategorie: General
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Wangdue Phodrang Dzong under reconstruction in 2019 © Christopher J. Fynn/cc-by-sa-4.0

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong under reconstruction in 2019 © Christopher J. Fynn/cc-by-sa-4.0

Wangdue Phodrang is a town and capital (dzongkhag thromde) of Wangdue Phodrang District in central Bhutan. It is located in Thedtsho Gewog. The town shares its name with the Wangdue Phodrang Dzong built in 1638 that dominates the district. The name is said to have been given by Ngawang Namgyal, the 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, who was searching for the best location for a dzong to prevent incursions from the south. At the chosen spot, the Zhabdrung encountered a boy named Wangdi playing beside the river and hence named the dzong “Wangdi’s Palace”.

Wangdi Phodrang Dzong burnt down in the afternoon of 24 June 2012, supposedly because of a faulty electrical water cooker. However, the dzong was being renovated at the time, so most of the historical relics had already been put into storage and were saved from destruction. Shortly after the fire, more than 1000 Japanese sympathizers donated an equivalent of over US$134,500 to the Wangdue Phodrang Reconstruction Fund. Other donations have also arrived, but reconstruction is still underway as of 2014.

Wangdue Phodrang Dzong before the fire © William L. Devanney/cc-by-sa-3.0 Wangdue Phodrang Dzong under reconstruction in 2019 © Christopher J. Fynn/cc-by-sa-4.0 Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © Baldiri/cc-by-sa-3.0 Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © Baldiri/cc-by-sa-3.0 Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © Baldiri/cc-by-sa-3.0 Wangdue Phodrang © GerthMichael/cc-by-sa-3.0 Bridge over Puna Tsang Chhu river and Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © GerthMichael/cc-by-sa-3.0 Getsi (Novices) in Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © Hannah cartwright/cc-by-3.0
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Bridge over Puna Tsang Chhu river and Wangdue Phodrang Dzong © GerthMichael/cc-by-sa-3.0
There are three paved roads in Wangdi Phodrang. The Lateral Road enters from the west at Dochula Pass, crosses the Sankosh River (Dzongkha: Puna Tsang Chhu) at Wangdi Phodrang Dzong, and continues east to Tongsa. One spur road heads north from Wangdi Phodrang to Punakha Dzong and slightly beyond. This becomes the footpath to Gasa.

A second spur departs the Lateral Road near the Pele Pass halfway between Wangdi and Tongsa, traveling south a short distance to Gangteng Monastery and the Phobjikha Valley, where rare black-necked cranes may be found.

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Read more on Wangdue Phodrang, Bhutan.travel – Wangdue Phodrang and Wikipedia Wangdue Phodrang. Learn more about the use of photos. To inform you about latest news most of the city, town or tourism websites offer a newsletter service and/or operate Facebook pages/Twitter accounts. In addition more and more destinations, tourist organizations and cultural institutions offer Apps for your Smart Phone or Tablet, to provide you with a mobile tourist guide (Smart Traveler App by U.S. Department of State - Weather report by weather.com - Global Passport Power Rank - Travel Risk Map - Democracy Index - GDP according to IMF, UN, and World Bank - Global Competitiveness Report - Corruption Perceptions Index - Press Freedom Index - World Justice Project - Rule of Law Index - UN Human Development Index - Global Peace Index - Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index). If you have a suggestion, critique, review or comment to this blog entry, we are looking forward to receive your e-mail at comment@wingsch.net. Please name the headline of the blog post to which your e-mail refers to in the subject line.








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