Destination Details

Bhaktapur Durbar square holds the palaces of Bhaktapur Kingdom and is one of the three UNESCO world heritage site located in Kathmandu Valley. It lies in the town of Bhaktapur which is 13km east of Kathmandu. Bhaktapur Durbar Square has many attractions which consist of palaces and temples that reflect the art of Newar Culture.

Main Attractions:
55 Window Palaces: The Palace of Fifty-five Windows was built during the reign of King Yaksha Malla in 1427 AD and was remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century. Among the brick walls, with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of fifty-five windows, considered to be a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.

Lion's Gate: The magnificent and beautiful gate was produced from artisans whose hands were cut off after finishing touch to them by the envious Bhadgaon King so that no more of such masterpiece would be produced again.

Nyatapola Temple: Nyatapola in Newari language means five stories — the symbolic of five basic elements. This is the highest pagoda of Nepal ever built with such architectural perfection and artistic beauty.

Erotic elephant’s temple:
On the left just before the entrance way to the square is a hiti (water tank). A few steps before that but on the other side of the road, just 100m before the entrance way, is a tiny double-roofed Shiva-Parvati temple with some erotic carvings on its struts. One of these shows a pair of copulating elephants, in the missionary position: Kisi (elephant) Kamasutra.