Kathmandu Durbar Square

Square in Kathmandu, Nepal

27°42′15″N 85°18′23″E / 27.70415°N 85.30647°E / 27.70415; 85.30647Area167.37 haBuilt4th to 8th centuryOriginal useRoyal PalaceArchitectural style(s)Nepalese ArchitectureWebsitehttps://hanumandhoka.gov.np

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Official nameKathmandu ValleyTypeCulturalCriteriaiii, iv, viDesignated1979Reference no.121RegionAsiaSession3rd

Location of Kathmandu Durbar Square in Nepal

Kathmandu Durbar Square (Nepal Bhasa: येँ लायकु/𑐥𑐾𑑄 𑐮𑐵𑐫𑐎𑐹, Nepali: हनुमानढोका दरबार/ Basantapur Durbar Kshetra) is a historically and culturally significant site in Kathmandu, Nepal. It is one of the three Durbar (royal palace) Squares in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Although the construction of the square began in the 3rd century, the major structures within it were added in later periods. The outer complex consists of a number of 16th-century temples built during the reign of Malla kings. These buildings are adorned with meticulously carved facades characteristic to Newar architecture. The central square is surrounded by palace complexes built during the Malla and Shah periods.^[1] The most well-known among them is the Nautalle Durbar, a nine-story palace built by Prithvi Narayan Shah to commemorate the Unification of Nepal.^[2]

A three-story temple called Kumari Chouk or Kumari Bahal is located at the southern edge of the Durbar square. This Malla-era temple is used as the resident of the Kumari, a young girl worshipped as a living embodiment of the Hindu Goddess Durga.^[1]

Earthquake damage

On 25 April 2015, an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.9 (M_w) hit the region and severely damaged the Square, reducing several buildings to rubble, the most prominent of which was the centuries-old wooden structure, Kasthamandap.^[3]^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Kathmandu Durbar Square". Atlas Obscura. 2019-03-11. Retrieved 2023-06-25.
^ Nepal Handbook by Tom Woodhatch
^ "Nepal landmarks flattened by the quake". BBC News. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
^ Setopati, सुजिता कार्की. "हनुमानढोका दरबार क्षेत्रका अधिकांश सम्पदा पुनर्निर्माण भएनन्". Setopati. Retrieved 20 May 2019.