Kathmandu - New City

Bahadur Bhavan was built in 1889 by Bir Shamsher, in the style of a Rana palace but with echoes of Islam. Here, in the 1950s, Boris Lissanevich opened the Hotel Royal, Kathmandu's first western-style hotel. Lissanevich, one of the first foreigners to live in Kathmandu, became well-known as a result of Michael Peissel's book "Tiger for Breakfast". The building is now occupied by the Electoral Commission.

On the top of a small rise between Trundikhel and the Singha Durbar lies the Bhadra Kali Shrine, one of several shrines to the Nava Durgas which Gunakama Deva installed outside his city as guardian deities. This open Vaishnavite shrine stands in a small courtyard. In the grounds frequent political protest meetings and hunger strikes take place.

The Dharahara Tower, a tall, slender minaret-like structure situated near the post office, was erected in 1832 by the then Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa for use as a military observation post.

The palace, Kaisher Mahal, stands at the corner of Tridevi Marg and Kantipath in the middle of a public park, "Garden of Dreams". First built in 1895 it was enlarged in 1908 by Field Marshal Kaisher, brother-in-law of King Tribhuvan, for use as a private residence. The Field Marshal's library rivaled any in private hands in Asia. Now government owned, the palace houses the Ministry of Education and Culture. There is public access to the reading rooms containing the library's collection of 35,000 old books (reference only).

Durbar Marg begins at Kathmandu's newest royal residence, Narayanhiti Durbar, a much-extended palace of the Rana period and seat of the Shah kings from 1908. The enlarged palace was consecrated in 1970 on the occasion of the then Crown Prince Birendra's marriage. Soldiers guard the gates in the high wall encircling the extensive grounds, discouraging tourists and the idly curious. The palace is open to the public once a year on the tenth day of the Dasain Festival, when the King and Queen distribute tikas to their subjects.

A sizeable palace, the Singha Mahal, stands on a hill to the south of the Singha Durbar. Once enjoying a fine view over the Bagmati, the palace was built in 1919 by Kishor Narshing and later enlarged.

The Sundhara or Golden Fountain facing the Dharahara Tower was endowed by Queen Tripurasundari in 1832. The tower collapsed during the 1934 earthquake and was rebuilt in truncated form.

Officially designated a Day of Sport, equestrian games and parades are held on Tundikhel, watched by the king from a platform. Bronze equestrian figures of the Ranas adorn the four corners of the parade ground. The 4000lb statues were cast in Europe and had to be brought to the valley over the mountains from India. On weekdays the square is used for sporting activities and political announcements.