Durbar Square, Kathmandu (must see)

Durbar Square is the historic royal palace complex at the heart of Kathmandu. Part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, the square was long the ceremonial, political, and religious center of the Malla kings and later the Shah dynasty.

The first royal palaces here are said to have been built as early as the 3rd century. The existing palace complex is traditionally linked to Gunakamadeva, the ruler credited with founding Kathmandu in the 10th century, while the palaces became formally royal during the reign of King Ratna Malla in the late 15th or early 16th century.

Start your adventure by following the route to the southern boundary of the square first. Kumari Chok, the red palace residence of the Living Goddess Kumari welcomes you. The building is a traditional three-story brick structure flanked by two large painted stone lions. If the stark white, Neoclassical facade of the Gaddi Durbar Palace stands as a next-door neighbor, you're in the right place. Cross under the low wooden portal into the inner courtyard of Kumari Chok to admire the exceptionally detailed, dark hand-carved Newari windows and pillars, where the Living Goddess herself occasionally appears to greet onlookers.

After leaving Kumari Chok, walk directly north while keeping the Gaddhi Durbar Palace and a series of street vendors on your right. Following a brief, narrower corridor you will reach another section of the square marked by a series of smaller pagoda-style temples. Turn east around the corner and go forward until you reach the entrance to the Hanumam Dhoka Palace. Easily seen guarding the entrance is the ancient stone Hanuman statue, a deeply revered idol from 1672, wrapped in a bright red cloak and coated in orange vermilion paste. The palace itself features historic staterooms and museums, including the King Tribhuvan Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum.

Once you're back into the square, pay attention to the carved woodwork, brick façades, gilded roofs, and tiered pagoda forms associated with Newar craftsmanship. If you are seeking the most towering structure in this architectural sea of pagodas, look toward the northernmost perimeter of the square complex. There, Taleju Temple, a massive 35-meter-tall sanctuary built on a high 12-stage brick platform, rises far above the lower market roofs.