 Second oldest dzong in Bhutan.  Six storey tall tower. Courtyard with a Bodhi tree and a stupa.  At the south end is the renowned 100 pillar assembly hall.  Made with timber, stones, and rammed earth, no NAILS !  At the confluence of 2 rivers.  To enter one must pass the lovely Bazam bridge.  This Dzong was the administrative centre and the seat of the Government of Bhutan until 1955, when the capital was moved to Thimphu.  A walk within the walls of this fortress is a dream come true !  North of the dzong is a cremation ground, marked by a large chorten, and to the east is the marvelous royal palace.

The Dzong has been built at the confluence of two rivers the Pho chhu (male river) and mo chhu (female river), and was a fortification guarding the area. You enter the fortress via a covered wooden cantilever bridge and once having climbed the steeps steps you are inside the first of three courtyards. The place is amazing with beautiful wood carvings and colourful paintings and wall decorations. There are many monks that still live in the Dzong. At night it is lit up and we got some amazing pictures from our hotel overlooking the Dzong.

Impressive large Dzong built between two rivers. Originally built in the 17th century it has suffered six fires, two floods and two earthquakes - it's been restored after each. It has an iconic wooden bridge across the river to it.

"Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungthang Dewachen Phodrang (meaning 'The Palace of Great Happiness'), is one of the most significant and majestic dzongs (fortresses) in Bhutan. It holds immense historical, cultural, and religious importance in the country. I fully recommend visiting it; it's worth experiencing firsthand."

One of the best places we visited in Bhutan. If you are not too much into touristy stuff and would still like to visit one place in punakha- strongly recommend this one. The Buddha idol is mesmerising!!

We simply could not take our eyes off this building. The incredibly impressive architecture of this complex will amaze everyone. This is a fortified monastery, and the Bhutanese call it Punakha Dzong. The word Dzong in their language means a fortress. Punakha Dzong is located next to two rivers, which gives this place an additional beauty. We reached Punakha Dzong via a fascinating wooden covered bridge typical of Bhutan. This complex is the winter residence of the Bhutanese religious leader, while Punakha used to be the summer capital of Bhutan. We walked through the main courtyard and reached the main temple area. Every temple in Bhutan is impressive, including this one. In front of this temple, we took a picture in Bhutanese national costume. We could not have chosen a better place for such a thing. After visiting Punakha Dzong, we went to the suspension bridge.

The Punakha Dzong, also known as Pungthang Dewa chhenbi Phodrang (meaning "the palace of great happiness or bliss"), is the administrative centre of Punakha District in Punakha, Bhutan. Constructed by Ngawang Namgyal, 1st Zhabdrung Rinpoche, in 1637–38, it is the second oldest and second-largest dzong in Bhutan and one of its most majestic structures. We visited this majestic location during our visit to Bhutan