Visiting Places
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Durbar Square
The ceremonial heart of old Kathmandu, dense with palaces, temples and the living goddess.
Kathmandu ValleyBagmati Province
Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square was the seat of the Malla and early Shah kings and remains the ceremonial heart of old Kathmandu. The square packs pagoda temples, courtyards and the Kumari Ghar — home of the living goddess — into a few dense blocks. Parts were damaged in the 2015 earthquake and have been carefully restored.
Known for
- Royal palace complex
- Kumari Ghar
- Newari temples
At a glance
- Region
- Kathmandu Valley
- Province
- Bagmati
- Getting there
- A 10-minute walk south of Thamel; foreigner entry ticket payable at the square's gates.
- Best time
- October–March for clear, dry days; arrive early to beat tour groups and traffic.
Things to see & do
- Hanuman Dhoka, the old royal palace, and its earthquake-restored courtyards
- The Kumari Ghar, home of Kathmandu's living goddess, who appears at a carved window
- Kasthamandap and the cluster of pagoda temples the city is named after