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At the end of the eighth century, in 796 to be precise, a small settlement called Anhil Vad Pattan was established in the Kathmandu Valley. According to a legend, Buddha and his student Ananda lived in this region. In 250 BC, Asoka, the legendary king of India, decided to settle on the Nepalese land for the period of his large military campaign, during which he had conquered many lands and converted local people to Buddhism. To mark the borders of his new kingdom, Asoka ordered to install stupas with the inscriptions on all sides. The population of Patan was almost one hundred thousand people at the start of the eleventh century. The number of residents was growing continuously. At that time, Patan was among the largest cities in the world.
In the 12th century, during the reign of King Bhaskar Varman, the city got one of its most precious jewels – the Hiranya Varna Mahavihar Temple. The temple has also gained recognition under its informal name – the Golden Temple. This is a pagoda with three floors. There is a statue of Buddha on the second floor, and a giant drum for prayers decorates the central part of the shrine.
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Would you like to learn more about the development of the history of the Nepalese land? On gorgeous Durbar Square, tourists can attend a very interesting establishment – the Patan Museum. This museum is relatively new – it was founded in 1997. The venue offers a collection of the sacred art of Nepal. To find a suitable setting for the treasures, it was decided to open the museum in a real palace that is an important landmark on its own. The exhibited items tell the history of the country through its culture. Some of the artifacts are unique and are not exhibited anywhere else in the world. During a visit to the Patan Museum, you will get a thoughtful insight into Hindu and Buddhist traditions and their meaning.
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A thematic exhibition dedicated to modern art is one more interesting attraction of the city. The exhibition is open in an Empire-style building that has a large clay square in front of it. Interesting sculptures in the shape of human feet are installed on the perimeter of the square. There are roughly three hundred sculptures in total here.
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It is not hard to get to Lalitpur as it is located in the Kathmandu Valley, and the distance to the capital of Nepal is only ten kilometers. Kathmandu has an international airport that receives flights from most countries of the world. Upon your arrival at the airport, you can get a taxi to “the land of beauty”. If you choose to drive yourself, choose Kanti Path as this is the fastest way to get to Lalitpur. Thamel, a neighborhood in Kathmandu, has a bus station with frequent bus service to the beautiful Nepalese city.
Sightseeing in Nepal: things to see
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