| Patan पाटन | ||
 | ||
| State | Nepal | |
|---|---|---|
| Territory | Kathmandu Valley | |
| Inhabitants | 162.991 (estimate / 1991) | |
| Prefix tel | 01 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 44700 | |
| Time zone | UTC 5:45 | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Patan, known as Lalitpur, is a city of Nepal.
To know
Patan, the fourth largest city in Nepal, is considered to be the oldest of the royal cities in Katmandu valley. L'UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.
It is located just across the Bagmati River from Kathmandu. It is also known as Lalitpur: both names derive from Sanskrit Lalitapattan. Like its larger neighbor, Patan boasts a Durbar square filled with temples, statues, and palaces, and also has the must-see attraction of the Patan Museum. As a traditional handicraft center, Patan is a great place to shop for jewelry, Buddha statues and masks.
Geographical notes
The city borders immediately south of the Nepalese capital Katmandu, the demarcation line is marked by the Bagmati River. Both cities are surrounded by a common road ring. Patam is also the capital of the district of the same name. The city has grown rapidly: in 1981 it had about 80,000 inhabitants, in 2001 it was more than double, and it is expected that by 2021 it will exceed 300,000 inhabitants.
When to go
The climate is temperate humid in all seasons, with very hot summers.
Background
Patan has about 2000 years of history behind it, it was for a long time one of the three royal cities of Katmandu valley and it owes to this fact to its Durbar square.
How to orient yourself
Patan (Nepal): full screen map.How to get
By plane
The nearest airport is Tribhuvan International Airport, it belongs to Kathmandu and is located north-east of the city.
By car
The city is connected to the largest metropolis of Kathmandu by a dense network of roads. A long-distance link is the Arniko Highway, which runs east of the city from Koteshwor via Bhaktapur to Dhulikhel. After Osdten a motorway leads in the direction of Pokhara.
How to get around
Most of Patan's attractions are within walking distance. The central tourist spot is the Durbar square. From the northern end it is possible to walk to other places such as the "Golden Temple" or the "Northern Stupa" in a few minutes. From the southern end of Durba Square it is possible to walk a busy shopping street in a northwest direction to the "Westlicher Stupa". The tourist bus parking is also nearby.
What see
- 1 Durbar square (Durbar Square).
Rs 1000 (October 2016), payable at a booth at the south end of Durbar Square or at another entrance to the northernmost area. It is one of the seven monumental areas of the Katmandu valley. Approaching the square from the south side you have the palace on your right and a series of temples on your left. - 2 Patan Palace (on the east side of the square). It was built on the site of a fort that stood until 1734 and served as the residence of the Malla rulers of the then state of Patan.
- 3 Golden Temple. NPR50. A huge number of decorations covered in gold and silver and some excellent bronze statues make this temple worthy of being the only temple in Patan that you have to pay to enter. The construction dates back to the early 1400s, although some pieces date back to prior to construction.
- 4 Patan Museum. R250.
10.30 - 17.30. An excellent and well presented small museum with descriptions of various artistic techniques. - 5 Taleju Temple.
- 6 Bhai Dega Temple.
- 7 Degutalle Temple.
- 8 Machchhendranath Temple (Machhindra Bahal Temple). This is a good example of the problems faced now with artifact theft. The temple is now surrounded by a strong enclosure and each statue has its own individual enclosure. The statues are missing from two stands, suggesting that the temple has already been a victim of theft. Machchhendranath also gives its name to an annual festival in which a 25m high "chariot" is paraded through Patan. If you notice all the wires and cables running through the streets at levels much lower than 25m, you can appreciate how complicated an exercise it is. The parade takes place between April and June, with the float staying overnight in different places. The end of the parade should coincide with the start of the monsoon rains. The wheels of the wagon have a diameter of over 2 m.
Rs 1000 (October 2016), payable at a booth at the south end of Durbar Square or at another entrance to the northernmost area. It is one of the seven monumental areas of the 
10.30 - 17.30. An excellent and well presented small museum with descriptions of various artistic techniques.Events and parties
What to do
Just wander around keeping your eyes peeled for all the amazing views.
- 1 Love Park.
Shopping
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- 1 Bhat Bhateni Supermarket. Supermarket chain.
- Wood and metal crafts.
- Old books.
How to have fun
Where to drink
.jpg/220px-Patan_Kathmandu_(5084966611).jpg)
- Absolute Bar.
- Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar.
Where to eat
Average prices
- Cafe de Patan.
- Kidz - The food station.
- Roadhouse.
- Lazy Gringo.
- The Bakery Cafe.
- Manny's Eatery & Tapas Bar.
Where stay
While most tourists stay at hotels in central Kathmandu when in the valley, mainly concentrated in the tourist catchment area of Thamel and in its vicinity, Patan which is 4km from Thamel is fast becoming an area of preference for those in the know who are looking for more space and less chaos. Many of the expat communities live in the Patan area as INGOs such as UN, DFID, GTZ are located there. The Swiss and Norwegian embassies are also in Patan.
Moderate prices
- 1 Cafe de Patan, Patan Durbar Square, Mahapal Mangal Bazaa. from 700Rs.
- Newa Chěn.
Average prices
- 2 Cozy Nepal.
- Greenwich Village Hotel.
- Himalaya Hotel.
- Shaligram Hotel & Apartments.
- Hira Guest House.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Post office
- 1 Patan Dhoka Post Office, Patandhoka Road, Lalitpur.
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Patan (Nepal)
Commons contains images or other files on Patan (Nepal)
