For over 300 years, Punakha served as the seat of the Bhutanese government, a beautifully scenic and fertile land in western Bhutan, steeped in regal history and mystique. Although the capital was moved to Thimphu in 1955, the region's majestic past can still be observed in its rich architectural fortress, the Punakha Dzong, housing the relics of an era when kings ruled from this valley.