Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Kathmandu (must see)

Hanuman Dhoka Palace is a series of structures in Durbar Square. The five acres of the palace grounds include the Royal Palace, Taleju Temple, Hanuman Gate, the Panch Mukhi Hanuman Temple, and the Basantapur Tower.

The palace is named after the statue of the Hindu deity Hanuman, which guards the front door. Hanuman refers to the deity itself, while the word "Dhoke" is Nepali for "door."

The oldest part of the palace is the eastern wing and its courtyards. This portion was built in the mid-1500s and then expanded 100 years later by King Pratap Malla. The towers were added in 1768.

A stone drinking fountain outside of the palace is inscribed in 15 languages. It states that anyone who understands all 15 languages will drink milk, rather than water, from the fountain. There is also a stone sculpture, added in 1673, representing Lord Narasimha, the fourth avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Three museums are located within the palace grounds. The Tribhuvan Museum offers items belonging to King Birendra, the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of Nepal from 1972 until 2001, including stone carvings, wooden carvings, weapons, furniture, coins, and jewels. The King Mahendra Memorial Museum displays his thrones. Mahendra was the King of Nepal from 1955 until he died in 1972. The primary museum, the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Museum, exhibits information and items from the Shah Dynasty and the history of Nepal.

The palace and its grounds were severely damaged by an earthquake in 2015.