Description of the attraction
The Narayanhiti palace complex, located next to the tourist area of Thamel, was built in the 18th century, and then expanded and modified several times. In 1934, as a result of a strong earthquake, the royal palace was partially damaged. Two little princesses died under the rubble. The work on the restoration of the palace was supervised by the engineer Surya Jung Tapa. At the same time, a new large staircase was built.
In 1963, King Mahendra ordered to demolish the old palace and build a new one in its place. The building for the royal family was erected in a traditional Nepalese style by the Californian architect Benjamin Polk. In 1969 the palace was completed.
In 2001, a tragic event took place here, which eventually led to the overthrow of the Nepalese monarchy. The heir to the throne, Prince Dipendra, angry with his parents and drinking too much, shot his entire family, and then committed suicide. The throne was inherited by his brother Gyanendra, who turned out to be an unpopular authoritarian ruler. On May 28, 2008, Nepal was officially declared a republic. Already the former king and his family were ordered to vacate the palace within two weeks. At the request of Gyanendra, the Nagarjun Palace was granted to the royal family. After a while, the royal palace was turned into a museum, where the symbols of royal power - the crown and throne - are kept, which, however, are hidden from the eyes of tourists.
In general, the Narayanhiti palace itself is worthy of attention. It covers an area of 3794 square meters. and consists of three parts: a wing for guests, for meetings and a residential building, where the king and his household used to live. The palace has 52 rooms, which are decorated in late Victorian style. The throne room is decorated like a Hindu temple. Adjacent to it is a room intended for the king's personal guests, who could observe what was happening in the Throne Room through a one-way mirror.
