Kathmandu Valley
This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2009) |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
---|---|
Location | Bagmati Province, Nepal |
Criteria | Cultural: (iii), (iv), (vi) |
Reference | 121bis |
Inscription | 1979 (3rd Session) |
Extensions | 2006 |
Endangered | 2003–2007[1] |
Area | 665 square km |
Coordinates | 27°42′14″N 85°18′31″E / 27.70389°N 85.30861°E |
The Kathmandu Valley (
The Kathmandu Valley is the most developed and the largest
In 2015, Kathmandu Valley was hit by the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.[5] The earthquake caused thousands of deaths and the destruction of many infrastructure across the Kathmandu Valley, which included the towns of Lalitpur, Kirtipur, Madhyapur Thimi, Changunarayan, and Bhaktapur. Kathmandu is also the largest city in the Himalayan hill region.
Etymology
Historically, the valley and adjoining areas made up a confederation known as the
The Pahari name Kathmandu comes from a structure in the Durbar Square called by the Sanskrit name Kāsṣtha mandapa "Wooden shelter". This unique temple, also known as the Maru Sattal, was built in 1596 by King Lakshmi Narasimha Malla. The entire structure contained no iron nails or supports and was made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two-story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.
History
The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 BCE, since the oldest known objects in the valley date to a few hundred years BCE. The earliest known inscription is dated 185 CE. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is over 2,000 years old. Four
Newars
The
Newa architecture consists of the pagoda, stupa, shikhara, chaitya and other styles. [18]The valley's trademark is the multiple-roofed pagoda which may have originated in this area and spread to India, China, Indochina and Japan.[19][20] The most famous artisan who influenced stylistic developments in China and Tibet was Araniko, a Newar who traveled to the court of Kublai Khan in the 13th century AD.[19] He is known for building the white stupa at the Miaoying Temple in Beijing. At present, people from other parts of Nepal tend to migrate to the valley for a better life due to its high level of cultural and economic development. Even with urbanization taking place, the Newars have sustained their culture in the Kathmandu Valley.
Mythology
According to Swayambhu Puran, the Kathmandu Valley was once a lake, deemed by scientists as
According to Gopal Banshawali, Krishna cut the gorge with his Sudarshana Chakra to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomadic cow herders.
Geography
Kathmandu
Notable areas
This is an incomplete alphabetical list of notable temples and monuments in Kathmandu Valley. Seven of these are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.[2]
- Bhaktapur District
- Balkumari temple
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Changu NarayanTemple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Doleshwor Mahadeva Temple
- Kailashnath Mahadev Statue
- Pujarimath Museum
- Suryavinayak Temple
- Kathmandu District
- Aakash Bhairav Temple
- Ashok Binayak Temple
- Aditnath Temple
- Ajima Temple
- Bagh Bhairab Temple
- Bajrayogini Temple
- Boudhanath Stupa (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Budhanilkantha Temple
- Chandra Binayak Temple
- Chandragiri Hill
- Dakshinkali Temple
- Dharahara
- Garden of Dreams
- Ghanta Ghar
- Gokarneshwor Mahadev temple
- Guhyeshwari Temple
- Jal Binayak Temple
- Kasthamandap
- Kathmandu Durbar Square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Kopan Monastery
- Narayanhiti Palace
- Pashupatinath Temple (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Ranipokhari Pond
- Ratna Park
- Seto Machhendranath Temple
- Shiva Parvati Temple
- Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park
- Swayambhunath Stupa Complex (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Taleju Temple
- Taragaon Museum
- Taudaha Lake
- Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery
- Lalitpur District, Nepal
- Balkumari temple
- Hiranya Varna Mahavihar Temple
- Kumbheshwar Temple Complex
- Mahabouddha Temple
- Nagdaha lake
- Patan Durbar Square (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Rato Macchindranath Temple, Bungmati
Present
This valley hosts a UNESCO World Heritage Site with seven preserved locations: the centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka,
In the past, Tibetan Buddhist Masters including Marpa, Milarepa, Rwa Lotsava, Ras Chungpa, Dharma Swami, XIII Karmapa, XVI Karmapa and several others visited and travelled in the Kathmandu Valley. However, the largest group of Tibetans came in the 1960s. Many settled around the Swayambhunath and Boudhanath Stupas. Many other famous Lamas known throughout the world have their Buddhist monasteries and centers in the Kathmandu Valley.[25]
The 1500-year history of funerary architecture in the valley provides some of the finest examples of stone architecture found in the subcontinent. A are important sources for the history of Nepal.
Demographics
Kathmandu Valley has total population of 2,996,341.[27]
Kathmandu (National Capital Area)
Kathmandu (NCT)
काठमाण्डौ (राष्ट्रिय राजधानी क्षेत्र) | |
---|---|
Proposed Territory | |
Country | Nepal |
Capital Territory | Kathmandu |
Area | |
• Total | 902.61 km2 (348.50 sq mi) |
Population (2021) | |
• Total | 2,996,341[3] |
It is proposed to Government of Nepal to develop Kathmandu valley as a separate national capital territory and not a part of Bagmati Province.[28][29][30]
Kathmandu Valley consists 3 Districts of Bagmati Province whose total population is 2,996,341 and total area is 933.73 square kilometres (360.52 sq mi)
District | Area | Population (2021)[3] |
---|---|---|
Kathmandu | 413.69 square kilometres (159.73 sq mi) | 2,017,532 |
Bhaktapur | 123.12 square kilometres (47.54 sq mi) | 430,408 |
Latipur | 396.92 square kilometres (153.25 sq mi) | 548,401 |
Kathmandu NCT | 933.73 square kilometres (360.52 sq mi) | 2,996,341 |
Major cities
Cities and towns with 75,000+ population of Kathmandu valley as per 2021 Nepal census.[3]
Rank | Name | District | Population (2021) | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kathmandu | Kathmandu | 845,767 | 49.45[31] | 17,103 |
2 | Lalitpur | Lalitpur | 299,843 | 36.12[32] | 8,301 |
3 | Budhanilkantha | Kathmandu | 179,688 | 34.8[33] | 5,163 |
4 | Tarakeshwar | Kathmandu | 151,508 | 54.95[34] | 2,757 |
5 | Gokarneshwar
|
Kathmandu | 151,200 | 58.5[35] | 2,585 |
6 | Suryabinayak | Bhaktapur | 137,971 | 42.45 | 3,250 |
7 | Chandragiri | Kathmandu | 136,928 | 43.9 | 3,119 |
8 | Tokha | Kathmandu | 135,741 | 17.11 | 7,933 |
9 | Kageshwari-Manohara | Kathmandu | 133,327 | 27.38 | 4,870 |
10 | Madhyapur Thimi | Bhaktapur | 119,955 | 11.47 | 10,458 |
11 | Mahalaxmi | Lalitpur | 118,710 | 26.51 | 4,478 |
12 | Nagarjun | Kathmandu | 115,507 | 29.85 | 3,870 |
13 | Godawari | Lalitpur | 100,972 | 96.11 | 1,051 |
14 | Changunarayan | Bhaktapur | 88,612 | 62.98 | 1,407 |
15 | Kirtipur | Kathmandu | 81,782 | 14.76 | 5,541 |
16 | Bhaktapur | Bhaktapur | 78,854 | 6.89 | 11,445 |
Minor cities and villages
- Dakshinkali Municipality
- Shankharapur Municipality
- Konjyoson Rural Municipality
- Bagmati Rural Municipality
- Mahankal Rural Municipality
See also
- Culture of Nepal
- Dolakha Newar Language
- Battle of Kirtipur
- Battle of Kathmandu
- Battle of Lalitpur
References
- ^ Royal Palaces of Abomey and Kathmandu removed from Danger List Archived 6 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine at UNESCO website
- ^ a b Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "Kathmandu Valley". whc.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 31 October 2005. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Archived copy" (PDF). cbs.gov.np. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
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: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Managing Nepal's Urban Transition". World Bank. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
- ^ "Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal". Government of Nepal. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
- ISBN 978-0-691-03128-6. Page vii.
- ISBN 99946-987-5-3. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ISBN 99946-987-5-3. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Khatiwada, D. "'राजधानी प्रदेश' र 'नेवा राज्य' : केही भ्रमको खण्डन". Online Khabar. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Celestial Advice" (PDF). Nepal Law Commission. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ "नेपालको जिल्ला प्रशासन पुनर्गठनको रिपोर्ट २०१३" (PDF). Ministry Federal Affairs & General Administration. Government of Nepal. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ "Save Nepa Valley Movement Homepage". Save Nepa Valley. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ भक्तपुर नगरपालिका स्थानीय पाठ्यक्रम २०७५ (PDF). Bhaktapur: Bhaktapur Municipality. 2018. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- ^ Khatiwada, Dambar. "'राजधानी प्रदेश' र 'नेवा राज्य' : केही भ्रमको खण्डन". Online Khabar. Archived from the original on 30 October 2021. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
- ^ Rajendra S. Khadka Travelers' Tales Nepal
- JSTOR 2843991.
- ^ "Mesocosm". publishing.cdlib.org. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
- ^ "CHAITYA HALLS", History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, Cambridge University Press, pp. 125–169, 27 June 2013, retrieved 18 November 2023
- ^ a b American University (Washington, D. C. ) Foreign Areas Studies Division; United States. Army (8 September 1964). "Area handbook for Nepal (with Sikkim and Bhutan)". Washington, For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off. Retrieved 8 September 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ISBN 1-870838-76-9.
- ISSN 1727-5229.
- ISSN 1994-7615.
- ^ "Places to see UNESCO World Heritage Sites". welcomenepal.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
- ^ Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "UNESCO World Heritage Centre - State of Conservation (SOC 2003) Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)". whc.unesco.org. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
- ^ Observation on the influence of Tibetan Buddhism in the Kathmandu Valley: Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 978-3-930698-75-2. Pages 30-31.
- ^ "Census Data" (PDF). 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 December 2021. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
- ^ "Call for integrated development of Kathmandu Valley". My Republica. 6 July 2016. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "Road Map for Making Kathmandu Valley Development Concept Plan Risk Sensitive ..." (PDF). UNDP, Nepal. 29 May 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "Valley envisioned as national capital of federal Nepal". The Halayan. 15 July 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ "Kathmandu Metropolitan City | Government of Nepal". www.kathmandu.gov.np. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Lalitpur Metropolitan City | Government of Nepal". lalitpurmun.gov.np. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Budhanilkantha Municipality Office | Government of Nepal". www.budhanilkanthamun.gov.np. Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Tarakeshwor Municipality | Office of the Municipal Executive". www.tarakeshwormun.gov.np. Archived from the original on 30 August 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
- ^ "Gokarneshwor Municipality | Municipality OfficeBagmati Pradesh, JorpatiKathmandu, Nepal". Archived from the original on 10 September 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
External links
- UNESCO – Kathmandu Valley
- UNESCO Advisory Board Evaluation
- Images from Kathmandu Valley
- 360° panorama images of Kathmandu valley
- Under the Spell of Ancient Deities: writer Austin Pick recounts adventures traveling in the Kathmandu Valley
- Lyrics of the song "Kathmandu" by a Russian band