The Durbar Squares of Kathmandu Valley
A long long time ago 3 greedy sons of a king couldn’t come
to an agreement over the future of Kathmandu so the Valley was divided into 3
kingdoms; Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur. Each royal family built its own
palace where the kingdom could be ruled from, kings could be crowned and
religious ceremonies could take place. These later became known as
a Durbar Square (durbar meaning “king” in Nepali), all 3 squares have been
well preserved with their own distinct character.
Kathmandu Durbar Square:
In the heart of Kathmandu, a short 15 minute walk from the
main tourist district of Thamel. Kathmandu Durbar Square has a real buzz with
small markets, numerous locals and rickshaws competing for space.
Patan Durbar Square:
Patan is one of the 3 major cities of Nepal (Kathmandu and
Pokhara being the others), it’s separated from Kathmandu by the Bagmati River
to the north but both cities have almost converged into one. Patan is known for
its beautiful and intricate temples.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square:
Bhaktapur (meaning “City of Devotees) lies 13km to the East
of Kathmandu and was once the capital of Nepal until the 15th
century. Bhaktapur was my personal favourite, you get a feeling
the temples are still in use and they been really well preserved.
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