Gyantse Dzong is one of the oldest and prominent fortresses that protected Lasha from the southern side. Completed in 1390, the walls then was about 3 kilometers long. Lying in the Gyantse city, this majestic Dzong stands tall in a huge spur of grey, brown rock. Now the ruins only remain of this great wall fortress and are singing the heroism of its history. Lying between a breathtaking landscape Gyantse Dzong is a place with smart design and architecture. In an elevation of 4,000 meters, the Gyantse Dzong has its inspiration of architecture from the Potala Palace.
The story of the ‘hero city’ Gyantse is worth listening here. During the British invasion of Tibet in 1903 before the first world war, the British soldiers well equipped and large in number slowly came to invade Tibet resulting massacre of over seven hundred of Tibetan soldiers in the process. Most of the defenders retreated from the area towards the Dzong. The Tibetans here then regrouped and attacked the British camp there. This attack cost them more than 200 more casualties. Even though the people here had inferior weaponry, they fought for three days and took control of the surrounding villages. Although the British canons and Gurkha soldiers made up to the fortress and broke into it, the heroism shown by the fearless Tibetan soldiers of Gyantse Dzong is in the history golden pages for a long time to come.
A site with magnificent landscape and glorious history Gyantse Dzong is worth a visit. Along with the Dzong, you can also visit the town and different monuments of it in your leisure.
