Trongsa Towers (Taa Dzong) Renovation and Conversion to Museum - Reconstruction of Main Tower



Contract partner: GNHC / RGoB - Gross National Happiness Commission - Royal Government of Bhutan Country: Bhutan Funding amount: € 100.000,00 Project start: 01.09.2006 End: 31.12.2007

Short Description:

Overall goal


In Continuation of the Renovation Project of the Trongsa Dzong (monestary castle) the Austrian Government and the Royal Government of Bhutan have agreed to continue their with the Renovation of the Watch Tower of Trongsa Dzong, the Ta Dzong, and its conversion into a State-of-the-Art Museum with important exhibits from Bhutanese religion, culture and history.


The Central Tower and the North Wing will house the Museum, the South Wing will house the Monk Body, the two Temples shall remain as is and open for worshipers. The general character and appearance of the side wings will be maintained as they are, their structural parts renovated wherever necessary and the fine wall paintings and other decorations within both temples professionally restored.

The spiritual aspects of the building will be conserved, so that active worship continues to be possible. Through the creation of a State-of-the-Art Museum, education about the country's religious culture, as well as Trongsa's specific historical role in shaping the Bhutanese nation and monarchy will be offered.


While for this purpose EUR 1.352.322 have already been allocated to the rehabilitation efforts under the main project additional funds are necessary, as part of the tower collapsed during the rehabilitation works.


The problem started with the appearance of the first cracks on the tower wall in the beginning of June 2006. The Project Management Unit plotted the cracks and monitored the cracks continuously. The cracks widened up and the cracked portion of the wall collapsed in mid July 2006. The works inside the tower have been stopped as it posed danger to the workers. Although the exact cause for the collapse of this wall is still under study, the best solution seems to be to carefully dismantle the fragile parts of the wall and to reconstruct it in the same structural design. Since this was not foreseen in the main project proposal, it entails additional cost to the project.

project number 2332-00/2006
source of funding OEZA
sector Andere soziale Infrastruktur und Leistungen
tied
modality
marker
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