About the neighborhood
Square in Kathmandu, Nepal
Kathmandu Durbar Square (Nepal Bhasa: येँ लायकु/𑐥𑐾𑑄 𑐮𑐵𑐫𑐎𑐹, Nepali: हनुमानढोका दरबार; Basantapur Durbar Kshetra) is a historically and culturally significant site in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is one of the three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Although the construction of the square began in the 3rd century, the major structures within it were added in later periods. The outer complex consists of a number of 16th-century temples built during the reign of the Malla kings. These buildings are adorned with meticulously carved facades characteristic of Newar architecture. The central square is surrounded by palace complexes built during the Malla and Shah periods. The most well known among them is the Nautalle Durbar, a nine-story palace built by Prithvi Narayan Shah to commemorate the Unification of Nepal.
Important Buildings
Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex
Royal residence with multiple courtyards like Nasal Chowk and Mul Chowk.
Kumari Bahal/ Ghar
A three-story temple called Kumari Chouk or Kumari Bahal is located at the southern edge of the Durbar square. This Malla-era temple is used by the resident of the Kumari, a young girl worshiped as a living embodiment of the Hindu Goddess Durga.
Taleju Temple
Jagannath Temple
Kasthamandap
Kal Bhairav Statue
Earthquake damage
On 25 April 2015, an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 (Mw) hit the region and severely damaged the Square, reducing several buildings to rubble, the most prominent of which was the centuries-old wooden structure, Kasthamandap.
See also
Nepal portal
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square
References
Further reading
von Schroeder, Ulrich. 2019. Nepalese Stone Sculptures. Volume One: Hindu; Volume Two: Buddhist. (Visual Dharma Publications). ISBN978-3-033-06381-5. Contains SD card with 15,000 digital photographs of Nepalese sculptures and other subjects as public domain.
External links
Media related to Durbar Square at Wikimedia Commons
Kathmandu Durbar Square on Google Map
Encyclopedic content adapted from the Wikipedia article on Durbar Square, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.
