Durbar Squares of Nepal
๐ In the Nepali language, "Durbar" means "palace," hence Durbar Square translates to "Palace Square." During the medieval period, the Malla Dynasty established three independent kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur. Each kingdom competed to build palaces and temples, and the arts of painting and sculpture have been passed down to this day. ๐ Patan Durbar Square - The Oldest Patan boasts a long history, with stupas at the four corners of the city said to have been built around 250 BCE. Patan Durbar Square is the most architecturally dense and the oldest among the three Durbar Squares. ๐ The Royal Palace of Patan has a more ancient history than the palaces of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. It has endured three major calamities, including wars and earthquakes. It is said that at its peak, there were 12 courtyards, of which only three now remain. At the top of a pillar to the north of the Hari Shankar Temple stands a golden statue of the king. The king faces the palace, with a lotus on his head and a hood of cobras๐. It is said that as long as the bird on top of the cobra's head remains๐, the king can return to the palace. If the bird flies away, the elephant๐ in front of the Vishwanath Temple will go to drink from the Manga Hiti canal. #Lalitpur#Patan Darbar Square#Nepal #Kathmandu #PatanDurbarSquare #Bhaktapur #CustomTravel #OffTheBeatenPath