KVPT

The Patan Palace Restoration Project is KVPT’s largest program of works to date, encompassing the restoration and conservation of 2 palace courtyards, 3 tiered temples, 2 Shah-period public buildings, a water tank, a step-well, a rest-house, and a large park. The oldest inscription dates back to a Licchavi monastery from the 8th century, but most of the existing structures were built by the Patan Malla kings in the 17th century. The palace was abandoned by royalty when the Shah dynasty captured the Malla kingdoms and shifted the seat of power to Kathmandu. After the great earthquake of 1934, the palace was hastily reconstructed during a period of material scarcity, leaving many buildings in a fragile condition. Over the course of the 20th century, it was occupied by various government offices and suffered from neglect even as it continued to function as a ritual space. In 2006, it was included in the World Monuments Watch List, a list of the world’s 100 most endangered monuments. The present restoration project has sought to safeguard threatened buildings and to develop a program of re-use that is responsive to the needs of the present. KVPT and the Nepal government have established a clear management model that will secure a financially self-sustaining future for the palace. The ultimate aim of the project is to transform the palace from a site of abandonment to a public space that is accessible from Darbar Square.