Bhutan is filled with stunning architectural building, such as dzongs, goembas, and lhakhangs. Dzongs primary function, beginning in the 17th century, was as a fortress. Today the buildings are used as administrative offices for each of the 20 dzongkhas (districts) in Bhutan. Dzongs are made of stone or pounded mud and timber with wooden shingled roofs. Even though fires caused many of the dzongs to be rebuilt, reconstruction method are consistently traditional with the exception of iron roofs instead of wooden.

Goembas are monasteries. Each goemba contains an autonomous community complete with a temples and a dormitory. Goembas have a khemar just beneath the roof, in fact all religious buildings in Bhutan have this large red stripe. Brass plates are placed on the khemar to represent the sun. Goembas often have painted murals that depict the Wheel of Life, the Six Symbols of Longevity, and the Guardians of the Four Directions. A geometric poem on a small quilt is dedicated to Zhabdrung is often at the entrance of goembas.

Lhakhang have yellow roofs with a bell-shaped ornament painted in gold on the top. Similar to goembas the entrances of Lhakhang have painted murals depicting with the Guardians of the Four Directions or the Wheel of Life. People walk outside of the building in a clockwise direction and spin the prayer wheels located on the lower level outside of the lhakhang. After spinning the prayer wheels torelease positive prayers, you will enter the temple into a great hall. The walls will be covered with astonishing Buddhist paintings with an altar that sits at the end of the hall. A statue of an ancient Buddhist figure, Guru Rinpoche or Jampa, dominates the area.