ABSTRACT
Bhaktapur, located in the Kathmandu valley about 14 km east of the current capital of Kathmandu, was the political centre of the Malla dynasty during the twelfth to eighteenth centuries (Whelpton 2005). The Malla period generated a fl ourishing society and culture in the valley, especially of the ethno-linguistic group Newār (or Nepā ), as expressed in their architecture, urban form, belief system, caste system, arts and crafts, rituals and other cultural dimensions. Being the principal centre of the Malla rule, Bhaktapur has a high concentration of religious, palatial and vernacular architecture, located within a well-preserved urban setting. Newār practice Buddhism, Hinduism and Tantrism; their lifestyle is tightly interwoven with the religion and tradition. The tangible and intangible heritage of Bhaktapur is, therefore, a testimony to the perpetuation of Newār society and culture within the valley. The World Heritage Monument Zone in Bhaktapur, declared in 1979, includes monuments located in its three main public squares – Durbar or Palace Square, Taumadhi Square and Dattatreya Square – and the streetscape that connects these three squares (UNESCO Kathmandu Offi ce 2007b) ( Figures 12.1 and 12.2 ). 2
Fi gu
re 1
2. 1
M ap
o f
B ha
kt ap
ur .
