The Jakar Dzong or the “Castle of the White Bird” is the dzong of the Bumthang District in central Bhutan. It is located on a ridge above Jakar town in the Chamkhar valley of Bumthang. Built in 1549 by the great grandfather of the first Shabdrung, the Dzong was initially built as monastery. It was upgraded in 1646, after Shabdrung had firmly established his power. Jakar Dzong is now used as the administrative center for Bumthang valley and also houses the regional monk body. The other unique feature of the Dzong is a sheltered passage, with two parallel walls, interconnected by fortified towers, which gave the population of the fortress access to water in the case of a siege. The protected water supply is still intact to this day.