Fortress
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Simtokha Dzong
Simtokha Dzong, officially known as Sangak Zabdhon Phodrang ('Palace of the Profound Meaning of Secret Mantras'), is the oldest surviving dzong fortress in Bhutan. Built in 1629 by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal, the unifier of Bhutan, the fortress was constructed directly over a massive boulder where a lethal demoness preyed upon travelers navigating the Thimphu valley. To permanently suppress this malevolent spirit, the Zhabdrung enclosed the boulder within the sanctuary foundations. Renowned across Bhutan as a site of intense spiritual power, Simtokha Dzong is associated with reports of mysterious whispers in its dark passages, phantom chants originating from sealed chambers, and unseen forces guarding the ancient rock constraint.