Bhaktapur or Bhatgaon is an ancient city in the Nepal Valley, southeast of Kathmandu. It has played a very important role in history as the largest of the three Newar kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley and as the capital of Nepal during the great ‘Malla Kingdom’. Even today the city is one of the largest in the valley.
Believed to have been founded in AD 865 by Raja Ananda Malla, Bhaktapur remained a major settlement for 200 years. It is marked with rich palaces and temples. The very meaning of the word ‘Bhaktapur’ is ‘the city of devotees’.
There are many sites in the city that have stood the test of time. They include the old palace in Durbar Square built in 1700 and the copper-gilt figure of King Bhupatindra Malla nearby.
