Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square (1400 m) is a UNESCO World Heritage site (1979) with Taumadhi Square, Pottery Square, and Dattatraya Squares, 13 km east of Kathmandu, covers a 6.88 sq km area in Bhaktapur district (119 sq km). The outstanding cultural and historical monuments dominate the temple, palace, Sattal, water spouts, museum, Mahabihar, statue, pond, and a souvenir shop, suggesting two-hour sightseeing.

Bhaktapur is a city of devotees founded in the 12th century by King Ananda Dev Malla. There is an industrial area, Hanumante River ghat, stone spouts, Newar settlement and public squares. The formal Royal Palace Square entrance is 1800 Rupees for foreigners and 500 Rupees for SAARC and Chinese tourists. 

The wide open medieval palace square established a man-lion incarnation of Vishnu (Narasingha, 1698), an art gallery, Taleju Bell (1737) and King Bhupatindra Malla Column (1722), the fifty-five Windows palace (1697), Golden Gate (1754), Taleju Temple (1326) with a masterpiece door, golden spouts (1630), Chyasilin Mandap, Batsala temple and Shiva Temple (1480) with erotic carvings. The western side of Char Dham Temples is from the 17th century, Rameshwar Temple, Jagannath Temple, Badrinath Temple and Dwarikanath (Radhakrishna). The Kedarnath Temple (17th century) is nearby. Lions Gate Ugrachandi and Bhairab (1701) statues said King Bhupatindra Malla cut off the sculptor's hand to prevent a duplicating art. 

Taumadhi Square, 200 meters east of Durbar Square, has remarkable monuments, five-roofed, five-plinth pagoda-style, 108 ft tall Nyatapola Temple (1702) dedicated to Goddess Siddhi Laxmi. Ten times power from bottom to top of five guards considers five elements, wrestlers (earth), elephants (water), lions (fire), gryphons (wind) and Goddess Siddhi Laxmi (cosmos) forms of tigress and lioness. The temple has 108 wooden struts with wooden statues of Goddess Mahishasura Mardini. Maha Bhairab Temple, for balance to Siddhi Laxmi, was built in 1620 AD. Til Mahadev Narayan Temple (1170) lies to the south. 

Pottery Square, 200 meters southwest of Taumadhi Square, has a beautiful Ganesh Temple (1646). Visitors enjoy ceramics work on a wooden and electric wheel with a fireplace for baking in the south.  

Dattatreya Square in Tachupal Tole is 1.3 km east of Pottery Square. Dattatreya Temple (1427) represents three Hindu gods built by King Yaksha Malla. Bhimsen Tempe (1605) is a God of business in the West. Pujari Math (Hindu priest) converted a museum with excellent woodcarvings and a Peacock Window (15th century) on the eastern wall. There is a handicraft shop, paper factory and museum with an entrance. Nava Durga Temple to the north (5-minute walk) celebrates an annual festival with the president. Wakupati Narayan Temple is a 3-minute walk to the east. 

The earthquake damaged Bhaktapur Durbar Square in 1934 (8.4 reactor) and 2015 (7.8 reactor). Bisket Jatra (9 days festival) is a New Year festival held in mid-April. Siddha Pokhara (171 m. length, 73 m. breadth, and 3 meters deep) is a 16th-century historical pond. Kamal Pokhari, Hanuman Ghats, Prashanashil Mahabihar (10th century), Chaturbrahma Mahabihar (15th century), and Barahi Temple (12th century) scatter around. Sixty per cent of people do agriculture, and 40 per cent do carving, painting, pottery, masonry, jewellery, bronze casting, and other jobs in the Bhaktapur. The black cap (Bhadgaule topi), Newari cuisine, yoghurt (Ju Ju Dhau), local wine, pashmina, painting, wooden handicrafts and ceramics are popular in Bhaktapur.

Festivals are the main attractions, such as Bisket Jatra (mid-April), Gai Jatra (August), Dashain and Tihar (October-November) with hymns, worship, dances, music, rituals, Newari dress and lifestyle.