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'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.
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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.
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.
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Jagannath Mandir
The Jagannath Temple, recognized as the finest of the group near Hanuman Dhoka, is entered via three gates with elaborate triple frames. Exquisite wood-carvings embellish the doors, windows and roof struts, depicting a panoply of gods from the Hindu pantheon. There are also some little erotic scenes. Originally dedicated to Vishnu the shrine was later re-dedicated to Jagannath.
Agam Chen Pagoda
The triple roofs rising above the gate into Nasal Chowk belong to the Agam Chen Pagoda, dedicated to the Malla family deity. Since access was barred to all but the royal family, the shrine was situated on the second floor. Despite widespread alterations to the palace façade during the reign of Jung Bahadur, elements of the old Malla palace have been preserved, among them the Agam Chem Pagoda with its delightful wood-carvings.
Chasin Dega
An octagonal temple on a stepped base, built in 1649 by Pratapa Malla, commemorates his first two wives who died in that year. It is dedicated to the flute-playing Krishna, here depicted in the company of Rukmini and Satya Bhama. The three figures are believed to have the features of the King and his wives.
Gaddi Baithak
The south-west wing of the palace, Gaddi Baithak, projecting into Basantpur Square, was built in 1908 after Jung Bahadur Rana's return from a visit to England. The vast Throne Room with its stucco-work, crystal chandeliers and wall-paintings in the European Historicist style is truly magnificent.
Kavindrapur
Kavindrapur, the building on the east side of the square, is particularly associated with Pratapa Malla. As well as being a temple to Narashima it is the home of the Narashima dancers, who keep up a tradition instituted by the King. In addition to some 17th c. images the shrine contains a copy of the Nrityanatha, the original of which was commissioned by Pratapa Malla for Nasal Chowk. Delightful carvings adorn the roof struts and windows. On the ground floor fruit and vegetable sellers have their stalls.
Mahendreshvara Mandir
The Mahendreshvara Temple and the Jagannath Temple were both built shortly after the Taleju Mandir, by King Mahendra Malla. As its name implies, the Mahendreshvara Mandir, dedicated to Shiva in the form of Pashupati, is also a memorial to its founder. It was destroyed during the 1934 earthquake and rebuilt, though in a simpler style.
Maju Deval
Dedicated to Shiva the large three-storied Maju Deval on its unusually high stepped base seems to dominate Durbar Square. It was built in 1692 by the mother of Bhupatindra Malla of Bhaktapur. Inside the temple there is a Shiva lingam. The small shikhara (temple tower in the North Indian style) at the foot of the steps honors Kam Dev, Shiva's shakti.
Maru Tole
The rectangular Maru Tole adjoins the south-east corner of Durbar Square. Here the road which was once the old India-Tibet trade route intersects with others running north-south from Baleju to Kirtipur and west to Swayambhu.
Narayan Sattal
The Narayan Sattal, a two-storied meeting house with heavy-looking roofs, was probably constructed in the 16th c. It almost certainly started life as a hospice before a shrine to Narayan was installed. There are fine carvings on the windows and roof struts.
Nasal Chowk
Nasal Chowk takes its name from the little statue of the dancing Krishna in the shrine on the east side of the court. In Malla times the podium in the center of the court was used for dancing displays. The Shah kings chose to be crowned in Nasal Chowk, a tradition which continues today.
Pratapa Malla's Column
Between Degutale Mandir and Jagannath Mandir stands Pratapa Malla's Column. The king sits on a lion throne atop the lotus-shaped capital, his two wives one on either side. The King's five sons also appear, one at each corner and the fifth, the youngest son, in front. The column was erected on Durbar Square in 1670. Rival columns soon appeared in Patan and Bhaktapur.
Shiva Mandir
Lakshmi Narayan Joshi wielded almost unlimited power in the kingdom during the regency of Riddhi Lakshmi, disposing of political rivals by intrigue and assassination. In 1691 he himself fell victim to an assassin. He founded the temple to Shiva known as the Jaisi Deval in south Kathmandu. The Shiva Mandir in Durbar Square is a replica of the Jaisi Deval and was built by Riddhi Lakshmi in 1690.
Statue of Garuda
Opposite the entrance to the Tana Devi precinct is a statue of Garuda half sunk into the ground. Dating from the 6th c. it ranks as one of the oldest statues in the Kathmandu Valley and is thought to mark the site of an earlier shrine.
Taleju Mandir
Construction of the huge three-tiered Taleju Mandir heralded a new phase in the architecture of the Kathmandu Valley. It was the first temple erected with more than two roofs and the first to be raised on a tall stepped platform. It is said that the mandir was built in the shape of a yantra on the advice of Taleju herself and that she appeared to the King at the dedication ceremony disguised as a bee.
