The Department of Culture under home ministry has submitted a tentative list of five dzongs; Dagana, Paro, Punakha, Trongsa and Wangdue Phodrang to be inscribed as World Heritage.
The nominations justify and fulfill authenticity and integrity as a universal value, according to the culture department.
Department of Culture’s Architect, Yeshi Samdrup said they have proposed that the dzongs have dual functions, cultural and administrative.
The nominations are in response to an encouragement of UNESCO to identify, protect and preserve cultural and natural heritages around the world.
Other three sites included in the tentative list are Tamshing Monastery, ancient ruins of Drugyel Dzong and 12 sites associated with Phajo Drugom Zhipo and his descendants.
Bhutan ratified the World Heritage Convention in 2001. Today, there are 1007 properties listed as world heritage.
Meanwhile, experts from the World Heritage and Reconstruction have submitted their recommendations to address structural issues related to reconstruction of Wandue Phodrang Dzong. The dzong’s reconstruction is underway. It is expected to be complete by 2018.
The fortress was destroyed by fire on June 24, 2012. The reconstruction work began by October, 2012 under the command of His Majesty the King.
Department of Culture’s Engineer, Jigme Choden said one of the recommendations was that there should not be any extension in the peripheral width of the dzong.
The Department of Culture intends to strengthen the existing wall in order to determine its reusability and at the same time use modern techniques with earthquake-resilient features.
While the reconstruction design includes an increase in height and partial extension of the dzong’s outline, the experts advise otherwise.
The reconstructed Wangdue Phodrang Dzong will have living space for around a hundred monks, office space for more than 30 different sectors of the dzongkhag’s administration and will house 15 shrines.
