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Katmandu
KNOWLEDGE OF Katmandu
Kathmandu (Nepali: काठमाडौं) is the capital city of Nepal. It is also the largest city in Nepal. It is an urban and suburban area of about 3.2 million inhabitants in the tri-city area in the Kathmandu valley in central Nepal, along the Bagmati River. The two other cities are Patan and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is located at 27°43' North, 85°22' East (27.71667, 85.36667).
Archeological finds within the Kathmandu Valley show it to have been inhabited as early as 900 BC. It is noted that the Buddha and his disciples spent some time in the area where present day Patan is located within the Kathmandu Valley in the 6th century BC. Four stupas around the city of Patan erected by Ashoka the Great, a Mauryan King, in the 3rd century BC attest to the ancient history present within the valley. The Kirats are the first documented rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, the remains of their palace are said to be in Patan near Hiranyavarna Mahavihara called "Patukodon". The Licchavi dynasty whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 AD were the next rulers of the valley and had close ties with the Gupta Dynasty of India. The Malla dynasty ruled Kathamndu from the twelfth century till the seventeenth century when the Shah Dynasty under Prithavi Narayan Shah conqured the valley as he created present day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepalese Architecture present in Kathmandu today is from the Malla era.
According to legend, the area was a lake in the past, but Manjushri, a disciple of the Shakyamuni Buddha, cut open a hill to the south and allowed the water to flow out, making the region habitable. The origin of the present name is unclear, but one of the more likely theories is that it was named after Kastha-Mandap ("temple of wood" in Sanskrit), after a pagoda carved from the single tree on the order of King Lakshmi Narasingha Malla in 1596.
The Kathmandu Valley consists of three primary cities - Kathmandu itself, Patan (south of the Bagmati river), and Bhaktapur. Patan and Kathmandu run up right against each other (again, separated only by the river), whilst Bhaktapur is set off much closer to the eastern foothills. A lot of "bideshi" (foreigners) live in Patan, as that is where the relief agencies tend to be headquartered.
Kathmandu itself is home to most of the embassies, businesses, and the palace. The King's Palace (a large newly-pink building) stands right next to Thamel - the main tourist center. (Thamel consists of two parallel streets just to the west of the palace. It is home to lots of hotels, such as the Kathmandu Guest House, and lots of "hole in the wall" type establishments where backpackers tend to stay.) The palace is at the head of Durbar Marg, a street lined with various shops.
Kathmandu itself only recently began to name its streets. Until that time, most residences and buildings were located by general areas.
The old city is noted for its many Buddhist and Hindu temples and palaces, most dating from the 17th century. Many of these landmarks have been damaged by earthquakes and pollution. Seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in this valley.
Kathmandu has been popular with western tourists since the 1960s when it became a key stop on the hippie trail. It is also the subject of a popular Bob Seger song, because of the same reason.
It is the most densely populated city in Nepal.
Archeological finds within the Kathmandu Valley show it to have been inhabited as early as 900 BC. It is noted that the Buddha and his disciples spent some time in the area where present day Patan is located within the Kathmandu Valley in the 6th century BC. Four stupas around the city of Patan erected by Ashoka the Great, a Mauryan King, in the 3rd century BC attest to the ancient history present within the valley. The Kirats are the first documented rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, the remains of their palace are said to be in Patan near Hiranyavarna Mahavihara called "Patukodon". The Licchavi dynasty whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 AD were the next rulers of the valley and had close ties with the Gupta Dynasty of India. The Malla dynasty ruled Kathamndu from the twelfth century till the seventeenth century when the Shah Dynasty under Prithavi Narayan Shah conqured the valley as he created present day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepalese Architecture present in Kathmandu today is from the Malla era.
According to legend, the area was a lake in the past, but Manjushri, a disciple of the Shakyamuni Buddha, cut open a hill to the south and allowed the water to flow out, making the region habitable. The origin of the present name is unclear, but one of the more likely theories is that it was named after Kastha-Mandap ("temple of wood" in Sanskrit), after a pagoda carved from the single tree on the order of King Lakshmi Narasingha Malla in 1596.
The Kathmandu Valley consists of three primary cities - Kathmandu itself, Patan (south of the Bagmati river), and Bhaktapur. Patan and Kathmandu run up right against each other (again, separated only by the river), whilst Bhaktapur is set off much closer to the eastern foothills. A lot of "bideshi" (foreigners) live in Patan, as that is where the relief agencies tend to be headquartered.
Kathmandu itself is home to most of the embassies, businesses, and the palace. The King's Palace (a large newly-pink building) stands right next to Thamel - the main tourist center. (Thamel consists of two parallel streets just to the west of the palace. It is home to lots of hotels, such as the Kathmandu Guest House, and lots of "hole in the wall" type establishments where backpackers tend to stay.) The palace is at the head of Durbar Marg, a street lined with various shops.
Kathmandu itself only recently began to name its streets. Until that time, most residences and buildings were located by general areas.
The old city is noted for its many Buddhist and Hindu temples and palaces, most dating from the 17th century. Many of these landmarks have been damaged by earthquakes and pollution. Seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites are in this valley.
Kathmandu has been popular with western tourists since the 1960s when it became a key stop on the hippie trail. It is also the subject of a popular Bob Seger song, because of the same reason.
It is the most densely populated city in Nepal.
Chapi