Sin-mo Do-kha Dzong or Simtokha Dzong

Simtokha Dzong

Brief Background History

The Simtokha Dzong (or Fortress) was built circa 17^th Century (1629) by a Tibetan Lama Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, a Drukpa Kadgyu hierarch. The fortress has several names being called over the past four centuries. The ‘Dzong’ originally came to be known as “Sin-mo Do-kha dzong” (''Sin-mo'' means 'female demon' and "Do-Kha" means 'into the rock'). Literally,  it means ‘the fortress where the female demon was subdued into a rock." It was also said to have called the fortress as "Sanga Zap-doen Dzong" meaning, 'the fortress for religious rooting,' where He would make this 'Castle Monastery' a centre of Drukpa Kadgyu School in the country.

It was the first massive structure built by Zhabdrung Rinpochhe after having gained the full control under Drukpas (the followers of the Drukpa Kadgyu Sect) which was to become dominant religious practise by the beginning of the 17th century. According to the chronological sources, the structure was to help Zhabdrung Rinpochhe establish the political base as well as strengthen the Drukpa Kadgyu proliferation in the region. Later, several fortresses came into existence.

The fortress today serves as one of the monastic learning centres in the country. It used to house the First Bhutanese Traditional School of 13th Arts and Crafts (or, Rigney Lobdra) and Cultural School which was later shifted to Taktse at Trongsa Dzongkhag in the Central Bhutan.

Simtokha Dzong

Location: 

The Simtokha Dzong is located in Thimphu Dzongkhag (Thimphu District), few kilometres from the Capital City. It is strategically structured on a hill from where the whole valley of Thimphu clearly come into a beautiful view. It has become one of the most visited fortress in the country. 

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