Another dzong, a photo from Tongsa, Central

Photographer's Note

It was a dull day and the light wasn't very good, but who could resist a view like this even with a cloudy sky? I just had to take a few pictures from here.

This is Trongsa Dzong, the huge complex housing the civilian administration and religious centre of Trongsa (formerly Tongsa) district in central Bhutan. It is supposed to be the largest of its kind in the country and since 2012 one of five dzongs inscribed on the UNESCO's tentative list of world heritage sites. Unfortunately one of the other dzongs on the list was completely burnt down in 2015, so now there are only four of them.

Trongsa Dzong was built in stages during the 18th century, incorporating parts of a complex from a hundred years earlier. It was renovated off and on during the 20th century. In fact, work was going on even at the time of my visit in 2003.

Here is a larger version.

An alternative shot with a different angle can be seen in the workshop, where you can also find a view of the main street near the centre of town. All photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

The map: view coordinates will help you find this place, but you will have to imagine how you walk to the side of the road where the Google camera didn't go.

On the hillside you can see the main road coming from western Bhutan. It makes a long detour around the valley before it enters Trongsa. The dzong is seen long before you reach the town, as in this photo (unfortunately with not very well adjusted colours), which I posted here years ago.

papagolf21, Fis2, snunney, jhm, Cricri, jean113, jean113, cornejo, pierrefonds, COSTANTINO, Royaldevon, ChrisJ, worldcitizen, ikeharel, adramad, mcmtanyel has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

papagolf21 (152607) 2019-01-04 0:49

Bonjour, cher Gert,
Merci de nous faire voyager, rêver d'une aussi belle façon à travers ces prises de vue intéressantes et éducatives.
Les notes apprennent beaucoup.
Meilleurs voeux 2019
Amitiés.
Philippe

Tue (93412) 2019-01-04 0:52

Hej Gert,
Man opdager næsten ikke at det var en skyet dag, fordi al opmærksomhed går direkte mod den store hvide bygning med de gule tage, der ser imponerende og smukt ud mod de grønne bakker i baggrunden. De højere træer i forgrunden danner en god ramme.
Lars

Silvio1953 (222889) 2019-01-04 1:20

Ciao Gert, great POV on fantastic temple, excellent perspective, good clarity, wonderful colors and splendid light, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

GyurMaster (25026) 2019-01-04 1:36

Dear Gert,

This palace is very spectacular even in such a pale light. Though with the dramatic lights of WS2 it would even be better.
I always found these eastern style castles interesting. They hardly follow any rules of western castle or fortification building. Eg. lack the protrude bastions, which makes crossfire possible. Maybe they didn't have to stand such strong sieges?

Best Wishes,
Gy.

Fis2 (171907) 2019-01-04 1:42

Witaj Gert!
Excellent POV, view makes impression.
Interesting buildings.
I like colors and light.
Well done.
Nice day.
Krzysztof

ifege (49393) 2019-01-04 1:50

Hi Gert
A good moutain and monastry photo. I'm assuming another scanned slide - great one.
Cheers
Ian

snunney (130967) 2019-01-04 2:29

Hello Gert,
A very impressive building complex, the white walls of which sit well amidst the surrounding greenery. I like the framing and point of view. Very good conversion from the original medium.

Nicou (193814) 2019-01-04 4:29

Hello

Avec le tronc de l'arbre à gauche quelle vue et ocmpo quelle image ce centre religieux au milieu de terrasses de culture sueprbe quelle architecture ce blanc et rouge sueprbe compo
Braov et belle journée
Nicou

pajaran (117033) 2019-01-04 4:34

Dobar dan.
Interesantni i lepi pogledi, dobar tekst ...
Dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, lepo pokazano, dobra perspektiva i kontrast, lepe boje.
Lepa priroda i arhitektura.
Lep kompleks i verski centar.
Lepe fotografije i secanje.
Zelim vam lepo popodne, sve najbolje za vikend, srecno.
Paja.

Sergiom (117241) 2019-01-04 6:21

Bonjour Gert,

Très jolie mini plongée vers ces bâtiments grands comme un petit village dans les montagnes. Probablement un monastère. J'aime beaucoup le cadrage tout en verdure.

Amicalement

Serge

rychem (72187) 2019-01-04 8:10

This complex is really impressive, you have found a perfect high POV to take a photo, beautiful panoramic view of green slopes with terraces, excellent photo
regards Ryszard

lousat (139982) 2019-01-04 9:08

Hi Gert,beautiful memories from Bhutan,with this religious complex,one of the 4 that remains now as i can read in your note. Truly a great example of architechture,but i like a lot the elegant house in the WS builth in the typical style,useful post well done as usual! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

Cricri (176) 2019-01-04 10:37

Hi Gert
Bien présenter les bâtiments religieux et le village sur la montagne, belle complémentaire avec les liens, et WS intéressants, bien travailler
Bonne soirée
cricri

jean113 (28253) 2019-01-04 10:37

Hello Gert, all your shots today give us a great impression of this place, the beautiful buildings and the surrounding landscape.
Your scanning skills are admirable!
The Trongsa Dzong is composed of an amazing set of buildings.
Thanks for sharing, regards Jean.

ktanska (45052) 2019-01-04 11:02

Hej Gert,
Fascinating to see such a huge building on a steep mountain slope. Such architecture is truly unique. Roadside WS looks great too. It 's interesting to see such a strong contrast between dark clouds and sunlit white walls.
Kari

cornejo (61504) 2019-01-04 11:16

Hello Gert, very good view of this interesting building, very well composed and captured in this good and beautiful picture. An interesting image, with good sharpness, light, color and quality. Very good and beautiful work perfectly done, my congratulations my friend. Thanks for sharing this interesting work.

Good night and happy weekend.
All the best from the south of Spain.
Angel.

pierrefonds (115518) 2019-01-04 11:43

Hi Gert,

The mountains are framing well the building. The point of view is showing the details of the dzong. The light is givng good colours output. Have a nice day.

Pierre

notrap (7812) 2019-01-04 11:45

Hello Gert,
so many informations come along with this photo: I can see clearly that you have improved your skills in scanning! And what fun to go along that "long and winding road" (Beatles) with the little yellow man.
I like the workshop showing the main road best.
Thanks for sharing,
Elvira

mesutilgim (0) 2019-01-04 11:50

Hello Gert,
Another nice and interesting "oldie" from your rich archive. This time from Bhutan. Perfect pov and ligth management and again an unbeatable quality of analogue photography.
Many interesting and good notes.
TFS and have a nice weekend
MESUT ILGIM

COSTANTINO (117756) 2019-01-04 11:51

Hello dear friend Gert and have a nice time
and a happy new day
You are very lucky indeed because
you have visited too many places
aound the world like Trongsa
Dzong the huge complex housing
the civilian administration and
reliious centre of Trongsa
regards
Costantino

jmdias (116441) 2019-01-04 14:15

GERT

A BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE. THESE TERRACES AND HUGE SLOPES REMIND ME MADEIRA ISLAND. NICE THE BUILDING IN EVIDENCE IN fg. MARVELOUS SAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURE.

TAKE CARE

JORGE

emka (158784) 2019-01-04 20:52

Hello gert, Here the colors are much better than in the picture which you posted earlier. fantastic view of this dzong. They are similar to the monasteries in Tibet, like for instance Drepung Monastery. But some features are clearly distinct. and the landscape is different - in Tibet, there are no such wonderful rice terraces. stunning sharpness in all pictures. Interesting that the same patterns one can find in the ordinary houses.
Have a nice weekend

MAlgo

jhm (211738) 2019-01-05 0:31

Hello Gert,

I've today something learned through you picture.
The moving of the mountains makes your picture attractive.
Also a nice panorama in background.
Wonderful village in centre of you image.
Composition and presentation are pleasant to look at.
Very well done, TFS.

Have a nice weekend,
John.

Royaldevon (86438) 2019-01-05 2:37

Hello Gert,

I am immediately reminded just how very different this country is from where I live. The laws on building styles, I suppose, ensure that the differences in buildings will remain!
I like how you have anchored the f/g with the tree and bushes, insinuating the steep slope to the Dzong.
Though this is a fine shot for its interest and depth, I do like the w/s showing the 'ordinary' house. It is possible to see closer details of the stipulated style.

Have a lovely w/e,
Bev :-)

ChrisJ (172430) 2019-01-05 3:13

Hej Gert,

The architecture looks similar to Lhasa in neighboring Tibet, but I have never been there. I don't think I could handle the high altitude without acclimatising first. Perhaps a 3 day train trip. A new rail line was pushed through a few years ago. Everyone I spoke with in Kathmandu returning from Tibet (3,656 m) by plane had altitude sickness. Good elevated pov and I like the terraced rice paddies reminiscent of Bali or Vietnam around Sapa. Tfs!

dta (98848) 2019-01-05 7:46

hello Gert ,
It looks like you were a spy in the forest to photograph this amazing monastery with splendid greens slopes and terraced fields in the BG .
WS are superb , too .
Regards

worldcitizen (16226) 2019-01-05 18:48

Hello Gert,
Another day, another dzong. :-) I like how the tree frames the left side of the photo. I also like the POV looking down towards the beautiful dzong and the valley below. The terraced steps and greenery are all very attractive.

ikeharel (114569) 2019-01-06 1:49

I love such scenery from far away country, which of-course I never visited, Gert.
The buildings complex is huge, painted white that contrast the green slopes and fields.
The scale, visibility and mild light superbly handled.
Have a nice sunday, thanks for your latest supporting critique.
Ike

kasianowak (17676) 2019-01-06 6:47

Fantastic rooftop view of the dzong with the terraced fields behind and the mountain slopes above it (somewhere in the top right corner is the place where I stayed...).
I love the way you used the workshop photos to show that an ordinary house in Bhutan is at least as beautiful as a historic building. That's what, for me, is the most exciting about that little country.

adramad (73442) 2019-01-06 15:33

Hello Gert.
Impressive religious complex, an architecture in the style of other religious centers of the Himalayas, although it is an area of the world that I have only seen in photos, the perspective from here is magnificent, with the complex framed down by the treetops, and A wonderful view of the green slopes of the mountains backwards.
A magnificent color that gives a lot of chromatic richness to the image.
Very good lighting management and very good sharpness.
Well done. I like it.
I wish you a pleasant week.
Very best regards.
Luis.

mcmtanyel (69195) 2019-01-07 18:49

Hello Gert,
These are three fine views from Dzong. I think my favorite is the shot with a different angle, in which the fog on the mountain is impressive.
Regards,
MT

BennyV (34780) 2019-01-08 7:46

Great one here, Gert. Good pov, I also like the tree which frames the scene on the left.

Benny

Ilonka1974 (10307) 2019-02-11 11:37

HI Gert,
Beautiful place with exceptional lights - it is really an amazing picture! Congratulations!
Best regards
Janusz

Miguel82 (47110) 2019-05-27 12:31

Gert, the imposant monastery was built in the green valley. It houses both the civilian administration and the religious centre of Trongsa. Good pov placed on a hill dominating the surroundings. I note terrace fields on the left. Neat photo, interesting note