Trashichho Dzong renovation, 1962
In the spring session of the 1962 National Assembly, His Majesty the Third Druk Gyalpo expressed his vision to renovate Tashichhodzong, noting that it had been severely damaged by a fire before and had not been renovated for long period of time. His Late Majesty aimed to transform the Dzong into the seat of the modern government he was establishing.
Due to structural issues, much of the old Dzong was dismantled, as His Majesty found out that the supporting walls were inadequately constructed. The demolition process, which lasted two years, involved the careful disassembly of massive structures without the use of heavy machinery. Only the Lhakhang Sarp, Utse, and the Dukhang on the western side of the monastic courtyard were preserved.
The scale of the operation was immense that transporting a single timber beam required the strength of 90 men. Despite all the challenges, the reconstruction was completed in five years, showcasing not only the architectural brilliance of the Dzong but also the extraordinary engineering achievement accomplished entirely with traditional methods.
Information: from Kuensel (contributed by Tshering Tashi).
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