Phungthang Dechen Phodrang Dzong (Palace of Great Happiness), known as Punakha Dzong, was the seat of the Bhutanese Parliament until Thimphu was named the new capital of Bhutan in 1961. Back in the 8th century, Padmasambhava predicted the appearance of a man named Namgyal who would build a dzong here. Construction of the Dzong began in 1637, during the reign of King and Monk Shabdrung, who unified Bhutan in the 17th century, and was completed in the same year. Punakha is one of his very first dzongs, built with rare grace. After his death, Shabdrung was buried in this dzong. In 1639, the Dzong was expanded to celebrate the victory over the invading Tibetan army. On December 17, 1907, the first king of Bhutan, Ugyen Wangchuk, was crowned here. The majestic Dzong has been damaged 6 times by fire, once by flood and once by earthquake. <br />Location: The Dzong can only be reached by crossing a beautiful small bridge over the Mo Chu River. Plus, with its strategic location at the confluence of two rivers - Mo Chu and Pho Chu, the Dzong has all the conditions to protect itself from sudden invasions. <br />Structure: The Dzong consists of three daughters (Doch is the inner courtyard of the Dzong. Punakha Dzong consists of 3 daughters). The first (located in the north) is a courtyard for administrative functions, in which there is a huge chorten (Chorten is a large structure for worshipers to circumambulate. Often, inside the chorten there is a traditional prayer room) with a Bodhi tree (Bodhi Tree - in Buddhism - a legendary tree, meditating under by which Prince Gautama achieved enlightenment and became Buddha). The second courtyard is where the monks live. The second courtyard is separated from the administrative courtyard by a yuts (Yuts is the central tower inside the Dzong where the temple is located). In the third (southern) courtyard is the main temple. The sacred remains and relics are kept in a closed room inside the temple and only two guardian Lamas, the King and the chief monk of Bhutan (head of Bhutanese Buddhism) Je Kempo can enter this room. <br />During your stay in the Dzong, you should also visit the Kenrei Temple (Kunrei), which is located at the far end of the Dzong. Upon entering the temple, the first thing you will see is the intimidating giant Buddha statues, which are located between the statues of the Guru and Shabdrung. And don't forget to look up: hundreds of beautifully decorated dragons adorn the temple's ceiling. Also be sure to ask your guide about the paintings on the walls. In Kenray there is the most beautiful series of paintings, which consists of 12 episodes from the life of Buddha and which can tell you a lot about Buddhism. <br />When visiting Punakha Dzong you need to remember: <br />1. You will not be allowed to enter the Dzong without the proper permits, so make sure your guide has all the necessary documents with him. <br />2. You will not be allowed to enter the Dzong if your guide does not have a license (permit) to provide tourist services. <br />3. You will not be allowed into the Dzong if you are wearing a cap, hat, shorts, vest or if you have an umbrella with you. <br />4. It is allowed to take photographs on the territory of the Dzong. But upon entering the temple, you must turn off all photo (video) equipment. <br />5. When visiting Kenrei you are required to remove your shoes. <br />6. There are no latrines in the Dzong that meet the requirements of Westerners. Accordingly, you should be prepared for this type of inconvenience. <br />7. Punakha Dzong is one of the most important Dzongs and is very often visited by His Majesty, His Holiness and other members of the Royal Family. If you meet any of them during your visit, you should show them due respect.