Bhaktapur - Tachupal Tol / Dattatraya Square

Tachupal Tol (Dattatraya Square)

The large Tachupal Tol east of the royal palace is the oldest part of Bhaktapur. In fact it pre-dates the founding of the city, going back perhaps as far as the 8th c. Here more than anywhere the ancient character of the city is preserved. Encircling the square are nine mathas, the Hindu equivalent of a Buddhist bahal. These monasteries, which once housed communities of priests headed by a religious teacher, are now the homes of ordinary families. One or two craft shops have also opened in the square, including "Tajmath", its premises graced by a magnificently carved, quintuple window. Wood-carvers can be seen at work in the courtyard.