Bhaktapur (भक्तपुर), known locally as Khwopa and historically called Bhadgaon, is a city in the east corner of
the Kathmandu
Valley in Nepal located about 13
kilometres (8.1 mi) from the capital city, Kathmandu. Bhaktapur
is the smallest
city of Nepal as well as the most
densely populated. Along with Kathmandu and Lalitpur,
Bhaktapur is one of the three main cities of the Kathmandu Valley and
is a major Newar settlement
of the country. The city is also known for its Newar tradition, cuisine and
artisans. Bhaktapur suffered heavy damage in the April
2015 earthquake.
As part of the Kathmandu Valley,
it shares its history, culture and language with
the other cities of the valley.
Although chronicles like the Gopal
Raj Vamshavali put the foundation of Bhaktapur in the
12th century, it has been the site of numerous settlements since at least the Licchavi
dynasty. The capital place of Kasthamandu was Bhaktapur Nepal during
the first half of Malla
dynasty from the 12th century to 1482 when Nepal split
into three independent kingdoms. The Malla dynasty is considered a golden
period for Bhaktapur and even after its division in 1428, Bhaktapur managed to
stay as a wealthy and a powerful Newar kingdom,
mostly due to its position in the ancient India-Tibet trade
route. In 1769, Bhaktapur was attacked and annexed into the expanding Gorkha Kingdom (which
later became the Kingdom
of Nepal). After its annexation,
Bhaktapur remained largely isolated from other parts of Nepal which led to
stagnation in the development of its economy and arts and to allow it to remain
as a homogeneous Newar city. Due
to being isolated and overlooked by the central government in Kathmandu,
its infrastructure and economy deteriorated and the 1934
earthquake further exacerbated the
situation. Bhaktapur's economy and infrastructure would only improve from
the 1980s, largely due to tourism and aid provided by West Germany as
part of the Bhaktapur Development Project.
Compared to other Newar settlements, Bhaktapur is predominantly Hindu and speaks a distinct dialect of Nepal Bhasa. Bhaktapur is one of the most visited tourist destination of Nepal with the city attracting 301,012 tourists in 2014. The Nyatapola, a five roofed pagoda completed in 1702 is the most famous structure of Bhaktapur and along with the former royal palace, it forms the tourism center of Bhaktapur. The city is also famous for its numerous festivals and carnivals like the spring festival of Biska Jatra and the carnival of Saparu (Gai jatra) both of which are significant part of the local culture and contribute well to tourism. Bhaktapur is also called the "Capital of Music and Dance" in Nepal due to presence of over 200 types of traditional dances, most of which are masked dances and expect for a few, are a part of the annual carnival of Saparu (Gai jatra). It is also famous for its cuisine with the Juju dhau, a type of yogurt made from buffalo milk being the most popular. Bhaktapur's potters and handicraft industries are also known nationwide. Due to its well preserved medieval nature, UNESCO inscribed Bhaktapur as a World Heritage Site since 1979.