Nepal day 16: Patan | Perfect Planet

Submitted by maria on Fri, 15/12/2023 - 11:54

Today we will visit the Durbar Square in Patan or Lalitpur.

Durbar Square Patan

As every day we got up at almost dawn. We have breakfast at our favourite bakery Fresh Bake, croissant, brownie, chicken patti, blue Darjeeling tea and American coffee.

Sergio and Maria confirm that they are not flying today because of the weather conditions, hopefully tomorrow they won't have a problem.

Patan gate

Patan was one of Nepal's three imperial capitals and its Durbar Square is one of the most important in the Kathmandu Valley.

How to get there

The most comfortable way is by taxi (500 rupees/way from Thamel), but the bus is the cheapest and most fun if you have time (50 rupees/pax from Ratna Park).

We decided to take a taxi for 500 rupees from our hostel to Patan Gate, one of the four gates to the ancient city.

Patan

Tips. The best way to visit Patan is to wander around, looking for hidden temples and Buddhist courtyards.

We wander around in search of Durbar Square. We stop at several temples such as the Ganesh Mandir or the Pimbahal Pokhari Krishna Temple, located on a lake next to a beautiful Ashoka stupa. In the ancient city of Patan there are four stupas built by the Buddhist emperor Ashoka that indicate the four cardinal points and served to set the boundaries of the city.

Pimbahal Pokhari Krishna Temple

Ashok Chaitya

We continue on to the famous Golden Temple or HiranyaVarnaMahavihar, which of course is not to be missed.

HiranyaVarnaMahavihar

Golden Temple o HiranyaVarnaMahavihar

Popularly known as Golden Temple, the HiranyaVarnaMahavihar is one of the hidden gems of Patan.

HiranyaVarnaMahavihar

Located north of Durbar Square, it was fortunately not damaged during the 2015 earthquake. Entrance costs 100 rupees.

It has two rather discreet entrances, one flanked by lions and the other by golden elephants, although it is actually known for another animal, rats, although we didn't see any.

This Newari Buddhist monastery consists of a three-storey golden pagoda built in the 12th century in the central courtyard. Around the small central temple are the monastic quarters. The head priest is a boy under the age of 12 who serves for 30 days until he passes the baton to another boy.

Main priest

Inside the temple we meet a Spanish couple who tell us about the UBER app in Nepal PATHAO. We chat for a long time about Nepal and India, a country they have just visited.

Patan

We wandered with them again in search of new temples until we reached Durbar Square.

Durbar Square

Durbar Square is the most touristy place in Patan. It was affected by the 2015 earthquake and is still under reconstruction. Even so, it is a beautiful place not to be missed. To enter you have to pay a fee of 1,000 rupees per person.

Durbar Square

Remember, if you are going to be in Patan for several days, you should inform the tourist office so that they can extend the validity of your ticket for the days you need.

We stopped for lunch at Casa Pagoda, chicken burger (brutal) and bimani (newar style rice) with a soft drink and water for 1,367 rupees. It has a terrace with great views of the square.

Views from Momo King

Although there are other higher terraces also with magnificent views like Momo King Rooftop which has a 360º terrace, behind Krishna Temple, where we chatted with a Nepalese footballer who is playing for a European team and is on a family visit to Nepal.

Durbar Square

Inside Durbar Square, the Patan Museum, located in the Royal Palace, is a must-see. Not only for the museum collection itself, which is also worthwhile, but also because you can visit the other rooms, courtyards and fountains and get an idea of what life was like back then. It dates back to the 14th century.

Patan Museum

In the square you can see the five-storeyed Taleju Bhawan temple, the Hari Shankar or the Vishwanath temple.

Durbar Square

There are two other magnificent temples not to be missed, the Chyasin Dewal and the magnificent Krishna Mandir both in Sikhara style (Indian architectural style referring to the shape of its roof, in Sanskrit Sikhara means mountain).

Patan also has Kumari whom you can visit in Haka Bahal.

Around Durbar Square you will find a myriad of shops selling souvenirs and local Nepalese products. If you want to buy spices, the best value spices are sold in Asan Bazar.

Asan Bazar

We return to Thamel for shopping and dinner. We dine at French Creperie, located at the end of an alley in a wonderfully quiet courtyard, banana and chocolate crepe, spinach galette and two beers for 1,500 rupees.