Bhaktapur is the marvel of Kathmandu Valley and perhaps the most popular of the three Newar towns of the Kathmandu Valley. Fourteen kilometres east of Kathmandu, this peaceful, conservative town stands in sharp contrast to the bustle of its two adjacent cities. The kings of Bhaktapur ruled over Kathmandu and Patan from the twelfth century to the 14th century.
Bhaktapur is in many ways the most medieval of the three major cities in the Kathmandu Valley. Despite recent development, the city still retains a distinctly timeless air, with much of its glorious architecture dating from the end of the 17th century.
Newar art and architecture in Bhaktapur rival the best craftsmanship of the Malla period (from the 12th to the the 18th century). Though a massive earthquake of 1934 destroyed many temples, bahals (monastery courtyards), and residences, the city is still a living proof of the highest craft standards in this part of the world.
The Golden Gate was built in 1753 and since them it has earned fame as the most magnificent piece of metal craft in the entire country. The superbly crafted image of Goddess Taleju (tantric Goddess, a manifestation of Durga) is at the center and is a four-headed figure with ten arms. The top of the gate is adorned with a figure of Garuda. The panels depicting many deities around the doorframes are skilfully crafted and may be the finest in the valley.
Nyatapol, Taumadhi Tol
Bhakatapur's second main square is Taumadhi Tol, which features the five-roofed Nyatapola, the highest temple in the valley
Templet Nyatapola ligger på pladsen Taumadhi Tol.
Den 30 m høje pagode blev bygget i 1702 og er nok det bedste eksempel på traditionel nepalesisk pagodearkitektur.
(Kineserne lærte at bygge pagoder af den nepalesiske arkitekt Arniko.)
Nyatapola temple (nyata=five, pola=roof) with its unmatchable five-tier pagoda is dedicated to Goddess Siddhi Lakshmi (tantric Goddess). The architectural design is superb with skillfully carved windows, beams, 20 pillars and 108 struts. It was built by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1702. There are five pairs of statues flanking the steps leading to the temple. These pairs of guardians on each plinth are placed in order of increasing strength. The first two figures are the two Malla era wrestlers believed to have equalled the strength of ten men. On the next higher plinth are the elephants, then the lions, the griffins and finally two demi-Goddesses represented by a tigress and a lioness, Vyagrini and Singhini (Simhini) respectively. Each successive figure is supposed to be ten times stronger than the one before it.
Potters' square
Pottery is very clearly what this square is all about. Under shady open verandahs or tin-roofed sheds all around the square, potters' wheels spin and clay is moulded.
In the square itself, thousands of finished pots sit out in the sun to dry, and are sold in the stalls around the square
Dattatraya Square
At the east of the square stands the large Dattatraya Mandir. This is a three-storey pagoda style temple and is said to be the oldest in Bhaktapur and is believed to have been built out of wood from a single tree in 1427 during the reign of King Yaksha Malla.
