Situated
at an altitude of 1401m. Bhaktapur covers
an area of 4 square miles. Shaped like
a conch-sell. Bhaktapur means the city
of devotees. Pottery and weaving are
its traditional industries. The city
lies about 14 kilometers East of Kathmandu.
The major sightseeing places in Bhaktapur
include:
BHAKTAPUR
DURBAR SQUARE :
The main square of the city contains
innumerable temples and other architectural
showpieces like the Lion Gate, the
Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla,
the Palace of 55 windows, the Batsala
Temple and the Bell of Barking dogs,
etc. the statue of the King Bhupatindra
Malla in the act of worship is placed
on a column facing the palace and
of the many statues available in Nepal,
this is considered to be the most
magnificent.
The National Art
Gallery :
Contains ancient and medieval paintings
belonging to Hindu and Buddhist schools
depicting Tantrism of various periods
and descriptions. The Golden Gate
is the entrance to the main courtyard
of the palace of 55 windows. Build
King Ranjit Malla. The Gate is one
of the most beautiful and richly carved
specimens of its King in the entire
world. This gate is embellished with
deities and monsters of marvelous
intricacy. The palace of 55 Windows
was built in the seventeenth century
by King Bhupatindra Malla. Among the
brick walls with their gracious setting
and sculptural design, is a balcony
of 55 Windows. This balcony is a masterpiece
of woodcarving. The stone temple of
Batsala Devi, which is also located
in the Durbar Square is full of intricate
carvings. This temple also sets a
beautiful example of Shikhara style
of architecture in Nepal. There is
bronze bell on the terrace of the
temple which is also known as the
"Bell of Barking Dogs" This
colossal bell, placed in 1737 A. D.
was used to sound curfew during that
time.
Golden Gate
:
This is the main entrance to the place.
The craftsman who worked on this wonderful
gate must be from heaven. Such a beautiful
wooden window fixed in his living
room that is believed to have been
designed and carved by himself.
55 Window Palace
:
This is the main architectural structure
dominating the entire Bhadgaon Durban
Square. This magnificent monument
was built in 15th century AD.
Nyatapola Temple
:
This five story pagoda was built in
1702 A. D. by King Bhupatindra Malla
.It stands in a five terraced squat
a pair of figures; two famous wrestlers,
two elephants, two lions, two griffins,
Baghini and Singhini the tiger and
the lion goddesses. This is one of
the tallest pagodas and is famous
for its massive structure and subtle
workmanship.
Bhairavanth
Temple :
This temple was first built as a one
story pagoda but later changed in
to a three-story temple in 1718 A.
D. by King Bhupatindra Malla. The
temple is noted for its artistic grandeur.
It is dedicated to Lord Bhairav- the
God of Terror.
Datta-Traya
Further to the north-east of Toumadhi
Square is another interesting locality
called Dattatraya Square. In fact
this is the second important urban
spot of Bhaktapur. The Datta-Traya
Temple also built by late Bhupatindra
Malla in the 17th century is a famous
pagoda carrying an amusing history.
This is a wooden temple facing west;
it is belived that the timber used
for its relevent construction was
sawed out of a single tree. So you
can imagine how big the tree must
have been. The square has been nomenclature
from the name of the Deity itself.
The three-storied temple is dedicated
to the three-headed Deity of the orthodox
Hindus. It symbolizes the divine triad,
a mere combination of Brahma (The
Creatora0, Vishnu (The Preserver)
and Maheshwar (The Destroyer). The
square as a whole can be regarded
as a marvelous gallery of intricate
wood carvings. One can smell environments
of medieval period around the square.
Note
: Monumental Area Entrance
fees at present $ 10 p.p.
CHANGU
NARAYAN TEMPLE :
Situated on a small hillock overlooking
the Kathmandu Valley, this temple
is 12km. east of Kathmandu. The temple
is decorated with magnificent art
works in metal and wood. This famous
temple was built in the 3rd century
A.D. An inscription opposite the temple
tells about a historic event which
is the first epigraphic evidence of
Nepali history. Some of the important
sculptures here are:
