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Kathmandu Durbar Square

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City guide · काठमाडौं Kathmandu

Kathmandu

The Newar valley: Durbar Square, the living goddess and the Buddha's eyes

Photo: Jayen Shrestha · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Kathmandu Valley is one of the oldest urban civilisations in the Himalayas. Durbar Square, left by the Malla kings, the palace of the living goddess Kumari and the eyes of Boudhanath Stupa show Hinduism and Buddhism blending in a single city.

History

How the city came to be

Kathmandu was once called Kantipur; its name comes from Kasthamandap, a wooden public pavilion (the name means 'wooden shelter') recorded as rebuilt in 1596. The valley has always been the cultural and political heart of the Newar people. Under the Malla dynasty (1200–1768) the city filled with pagodas, carved wooden windows and courtyards; in 1484 the Malla kingdom split into three — Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. In 1768 the Gorkha king Prithvi Narayan Shah captured Kathmandu and went on to unify Nepal. Many buildings in Durbar Square were damaged in the 2015 earthquake.

  1. 1200The Malla dynasty began to rule the valley
  2. 1484The Malla kingdom split into three kingdoms
  3. 1596Kasthamandap rebuilt
  4. 1768Prithvi Narayan Shah captured Kathmandu
  5. 1979The Kathmandu Valley became a World Heritage Site
  6. 2015A major earthquake damaged historic monuments

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

Boudhanath Stupa and the Buddha's eyes

Classic landmarkKathmandu, Nepal

Boudhanath Stupa

A circuit under the Buddha's eyes, the spiritual centre of Tibetan Buddhism.

The buildings of Kathmandu Durbar Square

Classic landmarkKathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu Durbar Square

A royal palace square of Newar woodcarving, a microcosm of Hindu–Buddhist fusion.

Local life

Food and local daily life

Steamed momo in Nepal

FoodKathmandu, Nepal

Nepali momo

Steamed dumplings from Nepal and Tibet, whose name may come from northwest China's 'momo'.

Before you go

Rules to know in Kathmandu

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineSafetyNepal

Nepal: you must hire a guide to trek in national parks

  • Get a trekking permit and TIMS card
  • Hire a local guide or porter
  • Trekking alone in national parks and conservation areas

Breaking the rules can mean a fine or expulsion from the protected area; above 3,000 m there are risks from weather, avalanches and altitude sickness all year.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Nepal travel advice

TabooTemples & religious sitesNepal

Nepal: temple etiquette

  • Wear clothes that cover your knees and shoulders in temples
  • Take off your shoes when asked
  • Wearing shorts or a vest at holy sites
  • Entering areas reserved for Hindus

It offends worshippers; some areas of Hindu temples are closed to non-Hindus.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Nepal travel advice

Sources