Kirtipur, Nepal
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considered impregnable. The Gurkha King Prithvi Narayan Shah laid siege to it three times before finally taking the town and then, it is said, only after it had been betrayed. He exacted terrible revenge for heavy Gurkha losses - his brother was among those killed - by cutting off the nose of every man and boy over the age of 12. Only wind-instrument players were spared - they were required to celebrate his triumph.

The line of the old town wall, pierced by 12 gates, is still clearly visible. Most of the townspeople were weavers and farmers, the lower castes living outside the wall. When Tribhuvan University was built below the town, many farmers lost their land and Kirtipur became poor. With a population today of about 35,000, its problems are legion: the roads are covered with rubbish, the water tanks filthy and the houses in deplorable condition.

Kirtipur spreads over two hilltops joined by a col. The Chilamchu Stupa crowns the southernmost hill, the Uma Maheshvara Temple the higher, northern one. The Bagh Bhairava Temple is situated at the low point of the saddle. In the southern part of the town are a number of water tanks ensuring plentiful supplies, a testament to the skill of the town's medieval planners.