About Basantapur Tower
Located to your right just past the main entrance to Kathmandu Durbar Square. Basantapur Tower was one of the tallest towers in the square and one of the more ornate. Also known as the nine-storey palace, Basantapur Tower was built by King Prithvi Naraya in the mid-18th century.
The upper two floors of Basantapur Tower were destroyed during the April 25th earthquake in Nepal. Renovation on the exterior was completed in 2023. Interior renovation is currently underway. The interior has opened up on occasion, but is quickly closed again. There's usually a sign by the main door in the interior courtyard letting people know if it is open or not.
Do try to get a closer look at the tower's carvings from this side. There's more to the tower's exterior though. It's one of the few, and most impressive, old buildings you can climb up through and look out over Kathmandu.
The entrance to Basantapur Tower (nine-story palace) is inside the main royal palace's interior Lohan Chowk - entry was via Hanuman Dhoka which is still open.
Did you know?
Basantapur tower means "palace of the spring". Only the Taleju temple is taller.
it's said you can see the mountains from the top of Basantapur tower however this is now very rare due to excessive pollution in Kathmandu.
Inside Basantapur Tower
As impressive as Basantapur Tower was from the outside, the nine-story palace was even more so from within. Enter from Lohan Chowk and ascend the narrow stairwells all the way up through the tower's floors.
Each floor has small windows from which you can peer out onto the chowk below, Durbar Square, across the Kathmandu Valley, and towards the new city.
About halfway up, you'll encounter a beautiful window and a chair where royalty once sat to observe. At the very top floor, the views are at their best.
Entrance Fee for Basantapur Tower
There is no fee to view Basantapur Tower as it's included in the main fee for Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Directions to Basantapur Tower
From Thamel, head straight south to Kathmandu Durbar Square. You can walk along a Kathmandu city heritage walk to make the most of the journey there. In Kathmandu Durbar Square, the exterior of Basantapur tower is located in the southern section directly opposite Jhochhen (Freak Street). As the nine-storey palace is still under reconstruction, it's not currently possible to enter it. However, should the building open, the entrance to the interior is from inside Hanuman Dhoka.
Map to Basantapur Tower
Heritage walk guide:
» Kathmandu Heritage Walks
- Thamel Heritage Walk
- Thahiti Chowk
- Ason Chowk
- Jana Bahal / Seto Machchhendranath
- Indra Chowk
- Kathmandu Durbar Square
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