Jakar Dzong

Positioned atop an enthralling ridge above the Jakar Town, the Jakar Dzong; also known as the ‘Jakar Yugyal Dzong’ and ‘Castle of the White Bird’, in Chamkhar Valley in Bumthang was built by a Tibetan Lama named Yongzin Ngagi Wangchuk (1517–1554) in 1549. One of the oldest dzongs in Bhutan, this Buddhist monastery is also revered as one of the largest monasteries in the country.

According to the legends, while searching for a suitable place for a monastery, a group of lamas witnessed a mammoth white bird appearing out of nowhere and settling down on the spur of a nearby hill. The sudden appearance of the white bird was considered as a prophetic significance by the group of lamas, who later decided to build the monastery on that spur of the hill. Thus, the monastery is also called the ‘Castle of the White Bird’ by most of the locals.

Spread across 1,500m, Jakar Dzong has several courtyards, quarters for the monks, and a watchtower. Fortified by high-rising mouintains, canopied with lush greeneries, and adorned by the alluring beauty of a nearby spring, this sacred dzong is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Bhutan.