Bhaktapur Durbar Square

The Best Preserved Of The Three Royal Cities Of The Kathmandu Valley; One Of Seven Monument Zones Of The Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site · Bhaktapur, Bagmati

Bhaktapur is the best preserved of the three old royal cities of the Kathmandu Valley, a Newar town of brick lanes, carved wooden windows, temple squares and courtyards where daily life still follows the old rhythms of craft, festival and worship. Its Durbar Square holds the palace of fifty-five windows and the Golden Gate, but the town's true centre is Taumadhi Square, dominated by the Nyatapola, a five-tiered pagoda that is the tallest in Nepal and has survived the great earthquakes of 1934 and 2015. Pottery Square is full of wheels and drying pots in the sun, and the whole town is famous for juju dhau, the king of curds, a rich sweet yoghurt set in clay bowls. Much of Bhaktapur was damaged in 2015 and has been rebuilt with traditional craft. Bisket Jatra, at Nepali New Year, brings chariot-pulling battles through the streets. Foreigners pay one of the highest entry fees in Nepal, which funds the town's upkeep, and staying overnight lets you see it before and after the day-trippers.

Bhaktapur old town, Bhaktapur District, Bhaktapur, Bagmati, Nepal

The town is open at all times; foreigners pay an entry fee at the gates, valid for several days if registered with a passport at purchase. The palace gallery and some temple courtyards keep their own daytime hours, and some shrines admit Hindus only. Bhaktapur is about thirty to forty-five minutes by road from central Kathmandu. Early morning and evening are quieter than midday, when tour groups arrive.

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