Located about 13 kilometres east of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is filled with Hindu temples and other elaborate structures and buildings, and is known as Nepal’s Cultural Gem. It is one of three royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley, with the others being Kathmandu and Patan. Bhaktapur, which has a population of about 300,000, has the best preserved old city centre in Nepal, and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
THE CITY
Located about 13 kilometres (8 miles) east of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is filled with Hindu temples and other elaborate structures and buildings, and is known as Nepal’s Cultural Gem. It is one of three royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley, with the others being Kathmandu and Patan. Bhaktapur, which has a population of about 300,000, has the best preserved old city centre in Nepal, and is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
THE DESTRUCTION
While the full extent of the destruction in Bhaktapur caused by Saturday’s magnitude-7.8 quake is not fully known, many buildings collapsed. The city centre was filled with rubble, and bodies were seen among the debris.
THE 1934 QUAKE
Many of Bhaktapur’s ancient buildings were destroyed in 1934 in the worst recorded earthquake to hit Nepal. Some of the city’s buildings were restored over the years, including in efforts funded by Western countries.
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