Patan Durbar Square

Patan Durbar Square, in the city of Lalitpur (Patan), is widely considered the finest ensemble of Newar architecture in the Kathmandu Valley. The square fronts the former royal palace of the Patan Malla kings and is surrounded by temples, the Patan Museum, and traditional courtyards.

Patan is one of the oldest cities in the valley with Lichhavi roots, but the square flourished under the Malla kings between the 16th and 18th centuries. The royal palace now houses the Patan Museum, regarded as one of the best museums of traditional Asian art in South Asia.

Lalitpur means 'city of beauty/arts'; the area remains the centre of Nepal's metalcraft, woodcarving and thangka traditions. The square is central to local Newar Buddhist and Hindu ritual life.

Highlights include the stone Krishna Mandir built in the Shikhara style (1637), the Bhimsen Temple, the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar) nearby, the Sundari Chowk with its ornate Tusha Hiti royal bath, and rows of votive pillars and temples facing the palace.

Current condition: Well conserved; museum operational, several temples repaired after 2015

Patan Museum restoration set an international benchmark for adaptive reuse; ongoing maintenance by KVPT and the Department of Archaeology.