Kathmandu Durbar Square, with the white Gaddi Baithak and a pagoda temple.
Kathmandu Durbar Square, also called Basantapur or Hanuman Dhoka, is the palace square of the former Malla and Shah court. You walk among pagoda temples, the old palace, and the white Gaddi Baithak. The Kumari Ghar, home of Kathmandu's Kumari, stands on this square, and she sometimes appears briefly at a window. Taleju Temple rises behind the palace and is generally closed to non-Hindus. Many buildings fell in the 2015 earthquake and have since been rebuilt. Foreign visitors pay an entry fee that does not cover Patan or Bhaktapur. The square is a UNESCO monument zone.
- Address: Basantapur, Kathmandu, Nepal
- Hours: Daytime. The ticket gate usually opens in the morning and closes in the evening.
- How to Reach: About 1.5 to 2 km south of Thamel, usually 20 to 30 minutes on foot through the old city lanes. A short taxi also works if you are coming from another neighborhood.
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