According to legend, the Kathmandu Valley was once a great lake, drained when the Bodhisattva Manjushree cut the Chobar Gorge, making the valley habitable. The Malla kings ruled the valley and raised its temple-filled durbar squares and Newar pagoda architecture, reigning until the Gorkhali invasion of 1768-69. In 1767-68 Prithvi Narayan Shah's Gorkhali forces defeated the Newars at the Battle of Kirtipur and then took Kantipur (Kathmandu) and Patan, ending Newar rule and laying the foundations of the modern Kingdom of Nepal with Kathmandu as its capital. The Shah and Rana eras left landmarks such as Dharahara, first built in 1832 by Bhimsen Thapa, and the National Museum at Chhauni, established in 1928 and opened to the public in 1938. After the 2006 revolution ended the monarchy, Narayanhiti Palace was converted into a public museum in 2008; Kathmandu remains the national capital and the headquarters of Kathmandu District in Bagmati Province.
Researched by the ChillNepal team from published sources. Spot something out of date? Tell us from the place's page.
