WHEN Nepal was hammered by two huge earthquakes in 2015 it lost more than 600,000 buildings. Many have now been restored but a huge amount of work still needs to be done. This was very evident eight years on when I strolled round Bhaktapur Durbar Square. The main square of the city is crammed with history including a rich mix of stone, terracotta and metal art, wood carving and architectural showpieces. There is the Golden Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra Malla on top of stone monoliths the National Art Gallery, the palace of 55 windows, the big bell, erotic wood carvings and a host of other wonders. The list is endless. But everywhere there are glaring reminders of the earthquakes not least the incredible number of buildings still held up by baulks of timber or steel. And you don't have to walk far down side streets to find piles of bricks and rubble, stacks of carved timber awaiting their place in restoration work, huge cracks in buildings and spider webs of scaffolding. Nepal's rich history needs all the help it can get and recovering tourism is playing its part. Don't miss a chance to visit this wonderful place and do your bit to help finance recovery.

an amazing place with mix of culture and art. The area around the bhaktapur Darbar square is the town of bhaktapur. the local foods , th ehand crafted arts and the whole environment is pretty amazing t be a part of

Bhaktapur is definitely worth a visit. We traveled from Kathmandu in a taxi and were very happy with our guided tour. We also ate lunch at a restaurant whilst there and returned with fabulous photographs. I would recommend visiting.

Definitely to me, it was the best square out of three (Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur). It was well maintained and preserved for most parts. I took the bus from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur last stop for just 35 Nepalese Rupees, and walked straight into the city centre with no issue. I really enjoyed my walk around the square

I visited this place back in Nov 2023 when I was in Nepal for Mera peak climbing. I visited Kathmandu durbar square and Bhakatapur Durbar Square. In my opinion Bhaktapur Durbar square has more to visit and I liked it a lot. Big area with lots of temples. Don't forget to visit this place once you are in Nepal.

Very interesting how the old monuments which are fairly still intact after that horrific earthquake of 2015, meet the new commercial aspect of a tourist place. You could spend a whole day there walking & exploring, taking a break in one of the cafes or sit down restaurants all along the way. There are a couple of temples in between , where we witnessed a few processions which are held when small girls become 'women' , which looked like a festival. I don't know how cringy it would be for girls ..

Perhaps the oldest monarchy in the Kathmandu valley, Baktapur is enroute to Nagarkot from Kathmandu. Rather a sprawling expanse of very old palace complex, temples, stupas and museum, one needs atleast a day to soak in the many sights and sounds. Many buildings were renovated after the rather frequent earth quakes in Nepal. The older, original wood works are pitch black in colour and the renovated wood works are almost sandal wood colour. The malla kings who ruled the city brought in their unique dress code of black and red. The museum is a must visit while you are in the city. Most of the so-called tourist guides are in fact petty shop keepers interested in selling various artifacts rather than showing around the place. So, do not engage any guides. Must visit while you are in Kathmandu. Recommended.

Bhaktapur, a former capital of Nepal, is now a suburb of Kathmandu and a 20-45 minute cab ride away. I should not be missed since, in my opinion, its temples and shrines and architecture are better than Kathmandu’s Durbar Square. The stone and terra cotta temples are impressive and beautiful. Also worth mentioning are the Pottery and Taumadhi squares. There is an admission charge for foreigner of 1000 NR. Not to be missed !!

My tour guide recommended this place for me to visit and it did not disappoint. Construction is ongoing because of the preservation work needed after the 2015 earthquake. I tried to imagine what this place would look like when it was a functioning palace. The royal "swimming pool" (my favorite spot) with its snake motives must have been a sight back then. There are also several temples with varying sizes. There is a section where a community of people is making pottery. Just watch out for ladies trying to sell you stuff. There's a little Ganesh shrine. A sweet elderly man will gesture you to look at the shrine's golden roof for a small donation. Be prepared to offer something or avoid it altogether.

Mind-blowing architecture with intricate wood and stone carving everywhere. Structure are heavy and beautiful. Local foods around the palace were awesome. I tried some of local foods like chatamari, bara, choila. great place to hang around!