Kathmandu
Capital Of Nepal; Its Durbar Square Is One Of Seven Monument Zones Of The Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, Inscribed 1979 · Kathmandu, Bagmati
Kathmandu is Nepal's capital and the gateway to the Himalaya, a crowded, chaotic and deeply religious city where medieval temples stand in the middle of traffic and everyday life. The old centre is Kathmandu Durbar Square, the royal palace square of the Malla kings, crowded with pagoda temples and home to the Kumari, the living goddess, a young girl who appears at her window. From there the old bazaar lanes of Indra Chowk and Asan run north through a maze of shrines, courtyards and markets towards Thamel, the backpacker district of guesthouses, trekking shops and bars. The city is one of seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, which also includes Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath on its edges. The 2015 earthquake brought down several temples on Durbar Square, and rebuilding has taken years. The air is often polluted and the traffic fierce, but Kathmandu comes alive at its festivals, above all Indra Jatra, when the Kumari is pulled through the streets on a chariot.
Kathmandu, from Durbar Square and Asan to Thamel, Kathmandu, Bagmati, Nepal
A city, open at all times. Kathmandu Durbar Square charges foreigners an entry fee, and the ticket office is at the edge of the square. Tribhuvan International Airport serves international and domestic flights. Traffic is heavy and air quality poor, especially in the dry season. Festival dates move with the lunar calendar.