Bhaktapur is a major arts and cultural center in Nepal. The city is labeled as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of all of the beautiful, well-preserved art and architecture.
When you first get to Bhaktapur, there are guarded gates surrounding all of the entrances. Visitors must get a pass to enter the city. After entering, you are surrounded by brick buildings with lots of wooden and stone artwork. The streets can get very busy with people, cars, motorbikes, tractors, dogs and more trying to share the same road.
Within the city there are three main squares. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is in the heart of the city, full of temples, palaces and statues. There are always people wandering around admiring the ancient structures or even climbing up the temple steps to get a good view. Dattatreya Square is the oldest square and is home to a wooden temple thought to be carved from a single tree. The Bhaktapur Peacock Window, a famous Nepali wood carving masterpiece, is also located in this square. My favorite square has to be Taumadhi Square, home to the five-story temple, because I live next to it! These squares are always busy during the day. But at night, when things are quieter, walking through the squares feels like walking through a museum.
