Chingwa Tagtse Dzong Ü

This dzong can be seen clearly from Chongye town and from the burial mounds, its crumbling ramparts straddling a ridge of Mt Chingwa. Once one of the most powerful forts in central Tibet during the 14th century, it dates back to the time of the early Yarlung kings in the 7th century when it originally served as a palace. The dzong is also celebrated as the birthplace of the great fifth Dalai Lama. There is nothing to see in the fort itself, but again you are rewarded with some great views if you hike up from the reconstructed red chapel near Riwo Dechen Monastery.