It houses the district Monastic Body as well as government administrative offices of Paro Dzongkhag.

[1][2] In the 17th century, his descendants, the lords of Hungrel, offered this fortress to the Drukpa hierarch, Ngawang Namgyal, the Zhabdrung Rinpoche, in recognition of his religious and temporal authority.

[4] During the reign of the 23rd Penlop Dawa Penjor the Fortress caught fire (before the first king Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck was enthroned)[5] and all the important relics and statues were burnt, except for the Thongdrel (20x20 metre-wide).

A great annual festival or tshechu is held at Rinpung Dzong from the eleventh to the fifteenth day of the second month of the traditional Bhutanese lunar calendar (usually in March or April of the Gregorian calendar).

This is followed by a series of traditional mask dances conveying religious stories which are performed by monks for several days.