Bhaktapur - National Gallery

On the left of the Golden Gate there used to be a second building with low stories and heavily carved window frames and struts supporting its widely jutting roof. This was demolished in the mid 19th c. and replaced by the present hall. Only the portal with its decorative stone figures survives from Jitamitra Malla's time. The pair of lions were already there in 1697 when, as in Kathmandu, guardian gods were added in the form of statues of Hanuman and Narashima.

The doorway is now the entrance to the Nepalese National Gallery, which contains a collection of more than 200 paintings from the 14th-20th c. Among items of particular note is the Yoga Purusha illustrating the chakras of the human body, a favorite subject for imitation by modern thangka painters. The priceless old thangkas on display highlight the poor quality of those sold in souvenir shops.