1. Maju Deval Shiva, 2. Kam Dev Temple, 3. Shiva and Parvati Temple, 4. Narayan Temple, 5. Lakshmi and Narayan Temple, 6. Ashok Binayak, 7. Temple of Shiva (Mahadev Bisweshwar) 8. Kasthamandap, 9. Gaa Kuti Mahadev, 10. Bhairava Temple, 11. Kabindrapur Temple, 12. Bimaleshwor Temple, 13. Trailokya Mohan, 14. Garuda Statue, 15. The palace of living goddess Kumari (Kumari Bahal), 16. The Great Bell (Tago Gän), 17. Vishnu Teple 18. Temple of Saraswati (Saraswati Mandir), 19. Krishna Mandir, 20. The Great Drums, 21. Kotilingeshwar Mahadev, 22. Nil Barahi Temple, 23. Temple of the Great Vishnu (Maha Vishnu Mandir) 24. Shiva Temple, 25. Mandir Mahendreshwar, 26. Tarana Devi Mandir, 27. Royal Temple of Goddess Bhawani Taleju (Taleju Temple), 28. Kakeshwar Temple, 29. The stone inscription of King Pratap Malla, 30. Gopinath Mandir 31. Indrapura Temple, 32. The Black Bhairava (Kala Bhairav), 33. King Pratap Malla's Column, 34. Mask of the White Bhajrava (Seto Bhairav), 35. Jagannath Mandir, 36. Hanuman Statue, 37. Coronation courtyard (Nasal Chowk), 38. Tribhuvan Museum, 39. Basantapur Tower (Basantapur Durbar), 40. Pancha Mukhi Hanuman Temple, 41. Degutalle Temple, 42. Bhagwati Mandir, 43. Gaddi Baithak Durbar

In front of the main stairs to Maju Dewal, on the left, there is a small Sikhar – a needle-shaped tower symbolizing the peak of the mountain. We do not know much about this temple, we are not even sure about the accuracy of its name, because the sources are uncertain. Maybe it is dedicated to Kamadeva – the god of love and desire. Kamadeva, like our Cupid, is armed with a bow, but his bow is made of sugar cane, a chord is made of bees, and the shots are decorated with flowers. One story says that once, when Shiva was absorbed in meditation, Kamadeva fired his arrow at him to get him to beget a child with Parvati. After the shot, Shiva opened his third eye and burned Kamadeva. But the world could not exist without the love and desire, so the Great God brought Kamadeva back to life.

Shiva Parvati Temple was built in 1790, when on the throne in Kathmandu sat king Rana Bahadur Shah. The temple perches on a brick, three-step platform. The entrance of the temple is guarded by the two manasys – a creatures which are combination of a lion and a dragon, which are characteristic for Nepal – and from the central, richly ornated window located at the upper balcony two wooden figures of Shiva and his powerful beningnant wife Parvati look at the life at the Durbar Square. The divine couple, as usual, is shown in a passionate, mutual embrace, which is suppose to emphasize an unusual enhance sensuality and physicality of their sacred union.

Narayan Temple is a classic Nepalese pagoda located directly in the neighbourhood of Shiva Parvati Temple, devoted to Narayan. Narayan is one of the Hindu gods. In the old stories, Narayan was described as a god of water, Husband (Purusha) – the personification of the universe, sometimes Narayan is equated with Brahma. With the development and evolution of the subsequent trends in Hinduism, Narayan’s form gradually approached to Vishnu to finally almost completely merge with this "guardian of the world", especially with his eighth avatar (incarnation) – Krishna.

Lakshmi, for whose honour Lakshmi Narayana Temple was once errected, is a very important and popular figure in the world of Asian religion. She is a goddess of abundance and prosperity, good and fruitful mother and a faithful wife of Vishnu. Although in Nepal Lakshmi is worshiped by almost everyone, regardless of social status and religion – Hindus, Buddhists, Jains – temples devoted to her are rather rare. The praise of name of Lakshmi by Nepalese is best seen during the October festival called Tihar.

Located in the southern part of Durbar Square, an inconspicuous Ashok Binayak is one of the four most important temples dedicated to Ganesha in the Kathmandu valley. It's a very popular place which is visited in crowds by both Hindus and by the Buddhists. It is said that the pilgrims often first come to pray to Ganesha, and after that they visit other holy places of the Durbar Square. It is not known exactly when the church was built, but the gilded roof was added in the nineteenth century. A characteristic feature of this temple is that it does not have a finial. The name Ashoka Binajak comes from the Ashoka tree that has supposedly once shrouded temple. Gold replica of Ashoka – a Hindu symbol of love – is above the image of Ganesha. Unfortunately, when we visited Kathmandu the renovation of the temple lased therefore, in the pictures mainly corrugated sheet and flowers can be seen.

Bhairava Temple is a large house located in the south of Kasthamandap, which according to the legend was to be built of wood that was left after the construction of the latter one. The three-condignation building houses a small temple of Lord Krishna, where once reportedly people gathered to sing religious songs called bhajan. The last renovation of the building took place after the earthquake in 1934.

Kabindrapur is a temple built by Pratap Malla in 1673. Ii is dedicated to Shiva in its most popular form – as Nataraja – god of dance. This multi-condignation building serves as a temple, but also as a place for many the seventeenth-century Hindu sculptures. As like the previous one, it was renewed in 1934.

Trailokya Mohan was probably built in 1690 (although sources also mention the year 1670 and 1680). This high, standing on the five-level pedestal pagoda, is next after the Maju Dewal favorite place visited by the tourists, and on the steps of it and around the temple is located a flourishing trade in fruit and vegetables. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu Narayanaa, and in front of the entrance on the west side the mount of Lord Vishnu Narayanaa kneels – the divine bird Garuda. The temple is associated with the September festival Indra Jatra, during which the crowds of people come here to see the dance showing the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu (Dashavatara).

Stone Garuda Statue stands on a pedestal near the Mohan Trailokya that faces to the west entrance. It is the most likely that like the temple, the statue was built in the late seventeenth century. Garuda is yet derived from the Vedas tradition the solar deity. According to ancient Indian myths, the son of the patriarch Kashyapa and his wife Winata, a powerful bird-sun, the legendary rival of Indra, a fierce enemy of snakes symbolizing the powers of darkness and land. In Hinduism, Garuda was announced as the mount of Vishnu. Most often Garuda is portrayed as a figure of the human body with feathered wings, sometimes with bird head and curved beak.

The Great Bell (Tago Gän), is one of the three great bells in the Kathmandu valley, which was founded by King Rana Bahadur Shah and his queen Rajeswori Raj in 1797. The bell is based on two pillars and the roof is covered with piles. It is used just in honor of the goddess Taledźu, and its sound is strippes off evil spirits.

Mahadev Kotilingeshwar is a stone temple which was founded in the sixteenth century during the reign of King Mahendra Malla. It was built in the style of gumbhaj, which means it is rectangular in shape and covered with a bell-shaped dome. Next to the temple, the bull Nandina is sitting – it is a mount (vahana) of the god Shiva, from which you know that the temple is dedicated to just this powerful "three-eye god".

The Temple of the Great Vishnu (Maha Vishnu Mandir) stands on the four-level foundation and it is covered by a two-level roof. Apparently, during the earthquake in 1934, the temple was badly damaged and till today Nepalese failed to finish fixing it, even though it is hard to find any visible defects from the outside.

Mandir Mahendreshwar is dedicated to Shiva and is one of the most famous temples in the valley. It is located on the northern end of Durbar Square and was founded in 1561 or 1562, during the reign of King Mahendra Malla. Inside the temple there is a lingam – associated with Shiva a symbol of the highest principles. There is also a bull Nandin – a mount of Shiva. The gate of the temple must have been created recently.

Taledźu Bhawani, the incarnation of goddess Durga, in the fourteenth century was considered aa a deity of the royal family. Apparently sometime human sacrifices were conducted in the temple, but the goddess was not happy with that, and abandoned these practices, and since the late eighteenth century, a human sacrifice is prohibited even the law!

The Temple of Mahadev Kakeshwar (Kakeshwar Temple) was built in 1681 and rebuilt after it was severely hit by an earthquake in 1934. What is interesting is the fact that the base of the temple is a typical Nepali one and the culmination of the temple is a more popular form in India shikhara.

Gopinath Mandir is dedicated to Krishna – The Lord of the Shepherd (Gopi – young shepherdess of cows absolutely committed to Krishna, secretly escaping at night to dance with Krishna on the bank of the Yamuna). The temple has a three-level roof and stands on a three-level plinth.

The Black Bhairava (Kala Bhairav) is one of the most terrifying incarnation of Lord Shiva. The eight-arm god wields six swords, an ax and a shield, he has a rope of human skulls around his neck and with his leg he tramples a demon’s corpse. Apparently, everyone who lies in his presence, shall immediately die, and thus Nepalese often make a promise in front of his menacing presence that they are telling the truth. A bas-relief set at the Durbar Square has only six hands, but it makes a lasting impression. It is not known exactly when it was established, but it is known that in that place where the statue now stands, it was set by King Pratap Malla after it was found it in the fields in the north of Kathmandu.

King Pratap Malla's Column – he was a king who lived in the years between 1624–1674, and for whose reign most of the buildings on Durbar was built. His reign is considered to be economic and cultural peak of the Mallas dynasty. A sitting king surrounded by his two wives and four sons. He is faced towards the windows of a private temple of Degu Taleju, in which he prayed during his lifetime.

Mask of the White Bhajrava (Seto Bhairav) – a terrifying incarnation of Shiva – was established in 1794 during the reign of Rana Bahadur Shah. It is three meters high and it is hidden behind an openwork, wooden door. It can be seen only a few days in a year, in September, during the feast of Indra Jatra, when it is unmasked and decorated with flowers and rice, and at the time from the mouth of Bhajrava floats beer.

Hanuman Dhoka Durbar is a palace complex, which was probably built during the Lichchhavi Dynasty or earlier, but today's appearance is primarily due to the king Pratap Malla and his dynasty, when the greater part of the palace buildings was built.

Before entering the palace, on the platform, there is a Hanuman Statue – he is a Hindu monkey god who is always portrayed as a figure sitting on a high stone pedestal. The statue was consecrated by Pratap Malla in 1672. On the right there is the Golden Gate, the main entrance to the Royal Palace of Hanuman (Hanuman Dhoka Durbar), guarded by a pair of stone lions.

By entering the golden gate you will get to the main courtyard of the palace – Nasal Chowk – on which important ceremonies, such as coronations, are held. When we visited the palace immediately after Tihar, on the middle of the courtyard there were still traces of the recent pilled up large mandala. On the right there is the entrance to the museum.

In the museum you can see, among others, a stuffed and firmly dusty king’s canary and hundreds of photos and other memorabilia of the monarchy. Frankly speaking, this massive and rather monotonous boring exposition can probably bore even the biggest enthusiast of Nepal. But in the end you do not need to visit the whole exposition.

From the side of the courtyard or through the museum you can enter the nine-stock high, the palace tower of Basantapur (Basantapur Durbar), a thumping among other buildings, which offers a view of the Kathmandu and palace buildings. King Prithvi Narayana Shah built it in 1770 after he conquered and united the Kathmandu valley. Basantapur Tower, also known as the Tower of Kathmandu, is one of the four towers surrounding Lohan Chowk. Each tower represents one of the major cities of the ancient valley and is named after each nof the cities: Kathmandu Tower, Tower Laliptur (Patan), Bhaktapur Tower and Kirtipur Tower. Apparently, each building was financed by the residents of the city, whose name bears the tower.

Unfortunately, not every part of the palace is open to the public view, so some of its parts can be admired only from the outside. After leaving, you will see again the Column of the King Pratap Malla. The King looks at the palace Degutalle Temple. Interestingly, it starts from the second floor (below there are shops), and you can enter it only through the palace.

Going back towards Maju Dewal on the left side you can see Bhagwati Mandir – a three-leveled temple built by Jagat Jaya Malla. Below it, on the ground floor, there is a shop with tanks. Initially, the mandir was devoted to Narayan, but in 1766 he was being stolen from the temple. When Prithwi Shah Narayan mastered the entire valley, he placed the Goddess Bhagwati here. Every year in April, the deity is taken to the village of Nuwakot, about 65 kilometers north of Kathmandu, and after a few days she comes back to her seat.

The east side of the palace is closed with a modeled after European architecture, strikingly white, neo-classical building which seems not to quite fit with the rest on Durbar Square, which is mostly the typical Newari architecture. It was built during the reign of Rams in 1908.

Nepal niejednokrotnie nawiedzany był przez większe lub mniejsze trzęsienia ziemi, choćby wspominany już kataklizm z 1934 roku, w wyniku którego znacznie ucierpiało wiele cennych zabytków. 25.04.2015 roku o godzinie 11:56 ziemia zatrzęsła się z siłą 7,8 stopnia w skali Richtera, potem nastąpiło 14 wstrząsów wtórnych, 8964 osób zginęło, ponad 23 tysiące osób zostało rannych, a niemal pół miliona ludzi straciło dach nad głową. Trzęsienie ziemi wywołało lawinę śnieżną na Mount Evereście, która zniszczyła jedną z baz i zabiła przebywających w niej himalaistów, a sam szczyt przemieścił się o trzy centymetry w kierunku południowo-zachodnim. Oczywiście ogromne zniszczenia dotknęły też stolicę, a wiele zabytków zostało praktycznie zrównanych z ziemią. Obok kilka zdjęć z Placu Królewskiego, zrobionych w kwietniu 2018 roku, czyli 3 lata po katastrofie.

We like to visit the so-called poor countries. Poor because their residents do not have huge houses, do not earn thousand dollars a month, do not have expensive equipment in hospitals that do not run which ping and do not driva a Mercedes. Yes, they lack of many western features, such as automatic washing machines, and their lives are heavier and more filled with physical work, but it is also simpler, it is more human than mechanical. This life is filled with contacts with people, and not with Facebook. It is more colorful, cheaper and, hence, significantly slower than ours. Of course, sometimes you can see on the street a very expensive car, and supermarkets suggest that Western consumerism also invades the recently isolated from the world of the kingdom, but I will venture to say that life in Nepal is still slow and it is hard to notice here the busy locals.