Nepal: Patan’s Durbar Square

There are three imperial cities in the Kathmandu Valley – Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur – each a UNESCO site for stunning architecture and cultural heritage. In Patan, the buildings were quite severely damaged in the 2015 earthquake, but the restoration is ongoing and the building and decoration that remained are truly stunning – all examples of Newari architecture. At the eastern end of the square is hot palace, adorned with most intricate wood carvings in the world! There are also traditional Newari houses with courtyards and small temples all around the Durbar Square