China Guide
Tibet
Shigatse Dzong
Shigatse Dzong is now a dramatic pile of ruins. It was built in the seventeenth century by Karma Phuntso Namgyel when he was king of the Tsang region and held sway over much of the country, and it's thought that its design was used as the basis for the later construction of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. The structure was initially ruined by the Dzungars in 1717, and further damage took place in the 1950s. Unlike at Gyantse, there has been no attempt at rebuilding, and the main reason to climb up is for the fantastic views. To get here from town, head west along Tomzigang Lu until the paved surface runs out. A little farther along, a motorable track heads up the hill between some houses to a small pass, from where you can climb right up to the Dzong.