Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur — Bhadgaon in older Nepali, Khwopa in Nepal Bhasa — means the city of devotees. For much of the Malla period it was the capital of the whole valley, and after the valley divided into three kingdoms in the late 15th century it remained the seat of its own proud line of kings until 1769. Durbar Square, the square in front of the royal palace, was the centre of that power.

A square of kings

Tradition credits the founding of the city to King Ananda Dev Malla in the 12th century. Yaksha Malla, who ruled in the 15th century, greatly expanded the palace and city. But much of what you see today was built or rebuilt in the late 17th and early 18th centuries by kings such as Jagat Prakash Malla, Jitamitra Malla and above all Bhupatindra Malla, a great patron of art and architecture. The last king, Ranjit Malla, added the Golden Gate and the Taleju Bell before the valley was conquered by Prithvi Narayan Shah of Gorkha in 1769.

What to see

Entering from the west gate, you pass a gateway flanked by stone lions and statues of the fierce gods Bhairav and Ugrachandi. Ahead, on the left, stretches the long brick front of the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, with the gilded Golden Gate set into it. Opposite stand the stone Vatsala Durga temple and the great Taleju Bell. Around the square you will find the column bearing the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla in prayer, the Pashupatinath temple with its carved roof struts, the Chyasilin Mandap pavilion, and the high platform where the Fasidega temple once stood.

Earlier earthquakes, especially the great quake of 1934, destroyed many buildings, which is why the square feels more open than those of Kathmandu or Patan. The 2015 earthquake caused further damage; Vatsala Durga collapsed and Fasidega was badly damaged, and reconstruction has continued since.

How the square is used

Durbar Square is not only a monument. School groups sit on the temple steps, elders sun themselves on the platforms, couples take wedding photos, and during festivals the square fills with chariots, masked dancers and musicians. The National Art Gallery occupies part of the palace, displaying paintings, manuscripts and sculptures.

Tips

Arrive early in the morning, before the day-trippers from Kathmandu, when light is soft and locals are doing their morning worship. Keep your ticket; it is checked at several entrances and covers the whole historic core. From Durbar Square, it is a short walk to Taumadhi Square with the Nyatapola temple, and a slightly longer walk east to Dattatreya Square. You can easily spend a full day, or several, exploring Bhaktapur.