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The
Palace of Patan
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This is the smallest of all the palaces of Kathmandu Valley. It
incorporates the similar inventory of courtyards, temples, public and
royal baths and
fountains. There are only four courtyards in this palace and there is
not even any evidence showing that it was ever larger.
Mul Chowk is the central
courtyard and it is the oldest section of
the palace. This courtyard was dedicated to different deities. there
is a small shrine at the center of the courtyard and several others
around the courtyard. Lumjhaya Chowk is on the Northern side of Mul
Chowk.. This courtyard also built to house different shrines. It was completely
dismantled and reassembled in 1990 as a Museum of Patan.
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One
of the Courtyards in the Palace of Patan
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Sundari
Chowk-meaning the
beautiful courtyard-is the southern most courtyard of the palace. It was built by
the King Siddhinarshimha Malla in 1646. The entrance of this chowk is
flanked by three pairs of stone guardians. The chowk is decorated with
columned arcade, ornamented windows and screened galleries. There is
an oval-shaped, sunken bath at the center of the courtyard. The walls of this bath are inset with
niches holding more than seventy stone and metal sculpted images of gods. |
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Entrance Gate with the stone guardians |
Temples of Patan