Punakha District – Bhutan's former capital
Punakha, bordered by Thimphu, Gasa and Wangdue Phodrang, is one of the historic heartlands of Bhutan. For centuries it served as the country's capital, and its magnificent dzong at the meeting of two rivers, founded by Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal in the 1630s, became one of the kingdom's most important religious and political centres.
It was at Punakha Dzong that Ugyen Wangchuck was crowned the first King of Bhutan in 1907, a milestone for the whole nation. Later the capital moved to Thimphu, but Punakha has kept its special place in Bhutanese history. Today the fertile valley is known for its rice fields, mild climate and its dzong. Share your own stories and memories from Punakha with the community!