From the archive record
Paro is a town and seat of Paro District in the Paro Valley of Bhutan. It is home to Paro Airport, Bhutan's only international airport. Along the main street there is a complex of traditional architecture with richly decorated buildings housing small shops, institutions and restaurants.Rinpung Dzong a fortress-monastery overlooking the Paro valley has a long history. A monastery was first built on the site by Padma Sambhava at the beginning of the tenth century, but it wasn't until 1644 that Ngawang Namgyal built a larger monastery on the old foundations, and for centuries this imposing five storey building served as an effective defence against numerous invasion attempts by the Tibetans. Built with stones instead of clay, the Dzong was named Rinpung, meaning "heaps of jewels" but Rinpung