Patan Durbar Square (2023) - History, Museum & Entrance Fee,

Durbar Square Patan, Patan Overview

This UNESCO heritage site, located in the centre of Lalitpur, is one of the most visited places in Nepal. The architecture and history can be seen in the temples, palaces, and houses, which best reflect the culture of this country. Located just a few kilometres from Kathmandu City, the Durbar Square Patan is one of the three main Durbar Squares in Kathmandu Valley and offers a perfect blend of ancient history and culture and modernity.

The best time to visit Durbar Square Patan is from October to December in order to have the best outdoor experience. It is often overcrowded during the weekends so it is best to visit during the weekdays. Unfortunately, a lot of this area was destroyed during the 2015 earthquake, leading to it being seen as an unattractive place to visit. However, over the years, the government, as well as the community, have been putting in their efforts to rebuild this area, making Patan one of the most artistic Buddhist cities in the world and the Durbar Square a must-visit attraction in Nepal.

Attractions on Durbar Patan Square

Patan Durbar Square is full to the brim with captivating Newari structures. Each one has something unique and significant to offer, which makes it worthwhile to take your time through the square and see each of them correctly.

1. Patan Museum

Displaying staggering artefacts acknowledging the long history and evolution of the Newari ethnicity, this ancient Royal Palace has been revamped into a museum that displays. It also encompasses Keshav Narayan Chowk and a temple of the same name in its core.

2. Krishna Mandir

A significant shrine dedicated to Lord Krishna, the Krishna Mandir owes its existence to a dream that King Siddhi Narsingh Malla had of the Lord standing in front of his palace. He then ordered the construction of the temple at the same spot he saw him standing. The temple houses a statue of Lord Krishna in the ground floor with his consorts, Srimati Radha and Queen Rukmini on either side. The next level has a sanctum for Lord Shiva, and the topmost floor is dedicated to Lokeshwara or Avalokiteshvara - the collective Buddha consciousness. The beams along the tiers of the temple tell the stories of Mahabharata and Ramayana carved onto the stone intricately.

3. Bhimsen Temple

A shrine dedicated to the third Pandava, Kunti’s middle-born and a great wrestler-warrior Bhima, the Bhimsen Temple is known for its three interconnected golden windows. It was built in 1680 by King Srinivasa Malla. ‘Malla’ translates to ‘a wrestler’ in English, and it is the art mastered by Bhima. One can establish a smooth connection between why he is revered as a deity in this region. However, Bhimsen is traditionally worshipped here not as a god of wars or fights, but of trade, commerce and business. Since tourists are not allowed inside the temple, you can marvel at its striking beauty from outside.

4. Vishwanath Temple

Another construction by Siddhi Narsingh Malla, Vishwanath Temple, like its namesake in Varanasi, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in 1627, the temple features exquisite erotic carvings along its facade, keeping in tradition with almost every antique Shiva temples in the Indian Subcontinent. The front gate of the temple is guarded by two majestic stone elephants, while on one of the sides, there is the iconic bull statue, ever-present at a Shiva temple. The bull represents Shiva’s mount, servant and closest confidante, Nandi.

5. The Chowks

There are three chowks or courtyards in the Patan Durbar Square. One of them is Keshav Narayan Chowk, located inside the premise of Patan Museum. The largest one of them is Mul Chowk, which houses the Vidya Temple and the shrine of Taleju Bhawani - the family deity of the Mallas. Ganesh, Hanuman and Vishnu’s sphinx avatar Narsingha guard the entrance to the third courtyard. Sundari Chowk, which also happens to have a sunken tank within its boundaries, is named Tusha Hiti.

History

There is uncertainty regarding the origin of Patan Durbar Square. While the popular belief is that the Malla kings are to be credited for its existence, there are other contradictory legends as well. Some belief it to be a significant Pradhana crossroad, who reigned before the Mallas.

However, the role of the Malla kings in the refurbishment and evolution of the square is undeniable. Majority of the structures at the square date back to the Most of it took place towards the end of the 17th century, during the reign of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla and then his son Srinivasa Sukriti. Few improvements were made by future Malla kings such as Purandarasimha, Sivasimha and Yoganarendra as well.

Architecture of Patan Durbar Square

This 17th-century creation initially had 136 courtyards and 55 temples. Due to the earthquake that occurred in 2015, only a few of them are open to witnessing today. Each temple or monument is different from the other as all of them signify and represent religion in their own way. The architecture of the entire area is influenced by stone and unique wood, something that the restoration team tried to maintain after the destruction in 2015. All the monuments either have stone or wood and have a hint of Shikhara Architecture, a kind of Hindu ancient architecture.