Gyantse Dzong - the fortress - makes a great first impression of Gyantse arriving on the Friendship Highway from the east |
The hilltop fortress at Gyantse dominates the flag valley around it |
Dzong is Tibetan (and Bhutanese) for fortress |
Gyantse Dzong (14th C.) |
Gyantse Dzong was built in the 14th Century |
The British invading from India seized Gyantse Dzong in 1904 and held it for a month |
Monument to the People's Heroes, Gyantse |
Gyantse Dzong |
The 1903-1904 British invasion of Tibet was part of the "Great Game" holding back the expasion of the Russian Empire |
Had the British stayed, Tibet could possibly have had a very different 20th Century history |
500 Tibetan defenders held off the vastly superior British forces for several days earning Gyantse the title "Hero City" |
Gyantse Dzong fell to the British on July 6, 1904 |
Gyantse Dzong suffered again during the Chinese Peaceful Liberation of Tibet in 1954 |
...and what was left in tact after 1954 fell victim to the Cultural Revolution |
The exterior of Gyantse Dzong has been nicely restored, but the interior is lacking |
Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong, high above the old town |
Gyantse Dzong from the west |
Distant view of Gyantse Dzong from the north |
North face of Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong from the ridge to the north |
North face of Gyantse Dzong |
North face of Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong in the evening from the Monument to the People's Heroes |
Gyantse Dzong |
The road up to Gyantse Dzong |
Driving up to Gyantse Dzong from the northeast |
I'm not sure if the Monument to the People's Heroes refers to 1904 or 1954 |
Tourist vehicles can drive up to the entrance of Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong from the parking area |
There's still more climbing to do to reach the upper levels of the fortress |
Chinglish - "This place danger, Take a devious route" |
Diorama of life in the fortress, Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong |
Partially restored interior, Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse Dzong |
The red layer helps cushion the stone structure against earthquakes |
Few southeast from Gyantse Dzong |
View south from Gyantse Dzong |
Harvest time in the fields west of Gyantse Dzong |
Rather than face capture, some of the 1904 defenders jumped off the cliff |
View north from Gyantse Dzong to the Tibetan old town and Pelkor Chöde Monatery |
Pelkor Chöde Monastery seen from Gyantse Dzong |
Gyantse's Tibetan old town, western half |
Temple near the top of Gyantse Dzong |
The upper levels of Gyantse Dzong |
The steep staircase down from the top |
Gyantse Dzong |
I chose to walk down the stairs leading to Heroes Park |
Path to Heroes Park |
Gyantse Dzong from the base of the hill |
Gyantse Dzong from the base of the trail |