Songtsen Gampo was able to call a huge falcon by meditation, which defeated the dragon and drank all the water of the lake, so that the temple could be built.

Tradruk is said to have been the second of Tibet's earliest great geomantric temples after the Jokhang, and some sources even place it earlier.

During the persecution of Buddhism under Langdarma (Wylie: glang dar ma, 841–846) and during the Mongol invasion from Dzungaria in the 16th century, the monastery was heavily damaged.

The most important treasure of Tradruk is a thangka embroidered with thousands of pearls which is said to have been made by Princess Wencheng herself.

Tradruk used to have a famous bell on the verandah which is not in the monastery any more with an inscription containing the name of Trisong Detsen, who probably enlarged and embellished the original buildings.

Each year in June, ritual dances are staged at Tradruk known as the Métok Chöpa "Flower Offering" (Wylie: me tog mchod pa).