Bhatgaon, Nepal

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Bhaktapur is a town in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal about 8 miles from the capital city, Kathmandu. The name means "City of Devotees" in Sanskrit. It is called Khwapa in Nepal Bhasa and is also colloquially known as Bhatgaon.

Bhaktapur was the largest of the 3 Newar kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley. It has a population of about 300,000, of which the vast majority are still Newars. Historically more isolated than the other two kingdoms of Kathmandu and Patan, Bhaktapur has a distinctly different form of Nepal Bhasa.

Bhaktapur has the best preserved Palace courtyards and old city center in Nepal. This is largely due the restoration and preservation efforts of German-funded Bhaktapur Development Project (BDP).

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Coordinates: 27°41′N, 85°25′E