Drukgyel Dzong, now an imposing ruin, was built in 1649 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal to control the trade and military route to Tibet. The building was used as an administrative centre until 1951, when a fire caused by a butter lamp destroyed it. Major renovations started in 2016 and will continue until at least 2022, meaning the dzong's interior is currently off-limits.
The dzong was named 'Druk' (Bhutan) 'gyel' (victory) to commemorate the victory of Bhutan over Tibetan invaders in 1644. One of the features of the dzong was a false entrance that lured the returning Tibetan invaders into an enclosed courtyard for a second attack.
Until the dzong reopens there's not much reason to make the trip out here but it's possible to walk around the exterior, now boasting white and ochre paint after decades of plain brown brick. As you walk up to the dzong you'll pass a small Drolma Lhakhang on the left, a chorten down a short path on the right, and then the remains of the large towers and the walled tunnel that was used to obtain water from the stream below during a long siege. There is another walled tunnel and a ta dzong (watchtower) in the dzong but it's currently inaccessible due to rebuilding work.
