A view of Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal - 1901

Photograph with a view of Durbar Square in Kathmandu, Nepal, from an album of 30 prints credited to Herzog and Higgins, taken in ca. 1901 and part of the Curzon Collection. The largest city in Nepal, Kathmandu is the capital. It developed and prospered due to its strategic situation on the trans-Himalayan trade route. Much of its architecture and monuments date from the period of the Malla dynasty (c.1200-1769). Durbar Square is the quadrangle of the old royal palace, which is surrounded by temples and monuments. In modern times it is also called Hanuman Dhoka after a statue of the monkey-god Hanuman. The column in the foreground supports a gilded statue of Pratap Malla with his family. Pratap Malla (ruled 1641-74) embellished Durbar Square and was known as the 'poet-king' of Kathmandu.

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