The third of the medieval city-states in the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur was always described as the best preserved.

Many Nepalese still use the old name of Bhadgaon (pronounced bud-gown) or the Newari name Khwapa, which means City of Devotees. The name fits – Bhaktapur has not one but three major squares full of towering temples that comprise some of the finest religious architecture in the entire country.

The town’s cultural life also remains proudly on display. Artisans weave cloth and chisel timber by the roadside, squares are filled with drying pots and open kilns, and locals gather in communal courtyards to bathe, collect water and socialise – often over intense card games. To view this tapestry of Nepali life visitors must pay a town entry fee, which goes into protecting and maintaining the temples.