Lalitpur

About Lalitpur

Lalitpur (Nepali: ललितपुर) is a metropolitan city and fourth most populous city of Nepal with 299,843 inhabitants living in 77,159 households per the 2021 census. It is located in the south-central part of Kathmandu Valley, a large valley in the high plateaus in central Nepal, at an altitude of 1,350 metres (4,430 feet).

Its cultural heritage includes a tradition of arts and crafts. It has a multi-ethnic population with a Hindu and Buddhist majority. Religious and cultural festivities form a major part of the lives of people residing in Kathmandu. Tourism is an important part of the city's economy and it stages festivals and feasts, Lalitpur is home to Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The city is believed to have been founded by King Varadeva in 290 CE, though local legends trace its origins even earlier. Lalitpur was historically known as Yala in the Newar language and Patan in Sanskrit. The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is said to have visited the region around 249 BC, erecting four stupas at the cardinal points of the city—still standing today as markers of its ancient Buddhist heritage. During the Licchavi...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.