Kathmandu - Durbar Square

Durbar Square

Kathmandu's Durbar Square is the largest of the palace squares in the three royal cities and is designated by UNESCO as a protected cultural asset. The old palace alone covers an area three times the size of the precincts in Bhaktapur and Patan. Also on Durbar Square are some 50 temples and monuments of varying shapes, sizes, styles and faiths.

Kathmandu became an independent city-kingdom at the time of King Ratna Malla who, in 1501, erected a temple to Taleju in the Tana Deval temple precinct. His palace is presumed to have stood near by. Mahendra Malla (1560-74) extended the palace precinct to its present size and built the great pagoda dedicated to Taleju, the Malla family deity. He also erected two other temples on the square, the Mahendreshvara Mandir dedicated to Shiva and the Jagannath Mandir dedicated first to Vishnu but later to Jagannath.

During the reign of Pratapa Malla (1641-74) Mohan Chowk was constructed and the gardens east of the palace were laid. Under the Shahs much of the palace was given a new, uniform exterior unmistakably Islamic in style. Its usefulness for purposes of state was also enhanced by altering the height of the stories and remodeling the façades. The hand of the Ranas is most clearly seen in the Throne Room facing Durbar Square. It was built in 1908 after Jung Bahadur's visit to England.