Bhaktapur
The magnificent Golden Gate is a visual highlight of Durbar Sq. Set into a bright red gatehouse surrounded by white palace walls, the fabulous golden…
Must-see attractions in Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur
You should be able to see the sky-high rooftop of the Nyatapola Temple long before you reach Taumadhi Tole. With five storeys towering 30m above the…
Bhaktapur
Hidden down shop-lined alleyways leading south from the curving road to Taumadhi Tole, Potters’ Sq is exactly what you would expect – a public square full…
Bhaktapur
The broad-fronted, triple-roofed Bhairabnath Temple is dedicated to Bhairab, the fearsome incarnation of Shiva, whose consort occupies the Nyatapola…
Bhaktapur
The western end of Bhaktapur's Royal Palace contains the best of the three museums in Bhaktapur. Inside, you can view an extensive collection of Tantric…
Bhaktapur
Standing at the western end of Durbar Sq, the four Char Dham temples were constructed to provide spiritual merit for pilgrims who were unable to make the…
Bhaktapur
At the east end of Tachupal Tole, the eye-catching Dattatreya Temple was originally built in 1427, supposedly using the timber from a single tree. The…
Bhaktapur
In front of what once was the Vatsala Durga Temple is a large bell, which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737 to mark morning and evening…
Bhaktapur
As you enter Durbar Sq through the western gate, look left to a gateway flanked by two stocky stone lions, erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1701. On…
Bhaktapur
Southeast of Potters' Sq and above the river is the wide open square of Khalna Tole, the setting for the spectacular Bisket Jatra festival. Many flanking…
Bhaktapur
This interesting temple at Taumadhi Tole is hidden away behind the buildings at the south end of the square. The Til Mahadev Narayan Temple is set in an…
Bhaktapur
Tachupal Tole is flanked by a series of ornate brick-and-timber buildings that were originally used as math (Hindu priests’ houses). The best known is the…
Bhaktapur
South of Bhaktapur, on the south side of the Arniko Hwy, Suriya Binayak is an important Ganesh temple dating back to the 17th century. The white shikhara…
Bhaktapur
Walking east from Durbar Sq, you’ll pass the gateway to the restored Tadhunchen Bahal monastery, tucked between souvenir shops. This Buddhist temple is…
Bhaktapur
This impressive collection of chaitya, Shiva statues, Shaivite shrines and lingam in the town's southeast includes what could well be the two largest…
King Bhupatindra Malla’s Column
Bhaktapur
With hands folded in a prayer position, the bronze statue of King Bhupatindra Malla sits atop a column in front of the Vatsala Durga Temple. The statue…
Bhaktapur
'Chyasilin' refers to the eight-cornered roof of this pavilion. It was rebuilt in 1990 using old photos and paintings and components from the original…
Bhaktapur
Directly across from the Woodcarving Museum, in another old math (Hindu priest’s house) with similar lighting problems, this museum has some excellent…
Bhaktapur
This museum has some fine examples of Bhaktapur woodcarving displayed in dark, creaky rooms. There isn’t enough light to justify paying the camera fee,…
Bhaktapur
Behind the Vatsala Durga Temple, the Pashupatinath Temple is dedicated to Shiva as Pashupati and is a replica of the main shrine at Pashupatinath…
Bhaktapur
At the western end of Tachupal Tole, this two-storey, 17th-century temple is sacred to Bhimsen, the god of commerce. The squat rectangular structure has…
Bhaktapur
Outside the main Durbar Sq entrance gate is this little piece of architectural whimsy on the roof of the small Shiva Parvati Temple. Giving graphic…
Bhaktapur
Inside Bhaktapur's Royal Palace grounds, this 17th-century water tank is used for the ritual immersion of the idol of Taleju. The pool is encircled by a…
Bhaktapur
About 200m west of Potters' Sq, the red-brick Jaya Varahi is dedicated to Parvati as the boar-headed Varahi. Look for two very different depictions of the…
Bhaktapur
Signposted next to a hairdresser, look for the tiny, tunnel-like entrance to this small Buddhist temple dedicated to Maitreya Buddha, the future Buddha…
Bhaktapur
This square just northwest of Potters' Sq lost its temples in the 1934 quake, but it still has a large Garuda statue praying to a vanished Vishnu shrine…
Bhaktapur
Dedicated to Shiva, Kedarnath Temple was destroyed in the 1934 earthquake, rebuilt by a German team in 1990 using original materials, shaken to the ground…
Bhaktapur
This temple, built in 1553 is one of the most sacred temples in Bhaktapur. It is inside the Royal Palace grounds, accessed via Mul Chowk. Only Hindus can…
Bhaktapur
One of the finest carved windows in the Kathmandu Valley. This most famous feature of the old Pujari Math looks to be in remarkably good condition…
Bhaktapur
On the north side of Tachupal Tole is an open area with a small temple dating from 1654. Backed by a large tank, Ganesh Pokhari, the open temple is…
Bhaktapur
Just outside Durbar Sq, head down the path near the hiti that leads down the stairs to this atmospheric Kali temple that was built around a gnarled pipal…
Bhaktapur
As you enter the Royal Palace complex there are two enormous war drums, which were used to rouse the city in the event of attack. They are hard to see…
Bhaktapur
East of the Golden Gate is this palace featuring 55 intricately carved wooden windows stretching along its upper level.
Bhaktapur
This two-tiered temple features different incarnations of Vishnu on the ceiling struts and a statue of Garuda on the pillar at the entrance.
Bhaktapur
The attractive 17th-century stone Siddhi Lakshmi Temple stood by the southeastern corner of Bhaktapur palace until it collapsed in the 2015 earthquake…
Bhaktapur
With a plinth similar to Nyatapola Temple, this much smaller version also features pairs of statues of elephants, lions, bulls and the wrestlers Jayamel…
Bhaktapur
The original Fasidega Temple was ruined in the 1934 quake, and its replacement was notable more as a landmark than for any great architectural merit. The…
Bhaktapur
Depending on what theory you subscribe to, this pair of massive, curly haired stone lions are either guarding the Royal Palace or the site of a long lost…