Patan is locally known as Yala. Tradition holds that Emperor Ashoka visited around 249 BCE and erected four stupas at the city's cardinal points, which still stand.
Source: Lalitpur, Nepal
City in Nepal
Patan (Lalitpur)
The city of bronze casters and Buddhist courtyards
Patan, officially Lalitpur and called Yala in Newar, sits across the Bagmati from Kathmandu at 1,350 m. Its Durbar Square has the stone Krishna Mandir of 1637 and the Patan Museum, and its lanes hide Buddhist courtyards and the bronze workshops that cast Nepal's finest statues. A full day is ideal, a night is better.
Photo: Clemensmarabu · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsPatan is the city of craftspeople. During the Malla period, from the 12th to the 18th centuries, its metalworkers, woodcarvers and stone sculptors made images for temples across the Himalaya and Tibet, and the families of Newar Shakya and Bajracharya casters in the lanes north of Durbar Square still use the lost-wax method today. Locally the city is Yala; Lalitpur is its official name and Patan the name most visitors use.
Buddhism runs deep here. Tradition says Emperor Ashoka visited around 249 BCE and raised four stupas at the city's cardinal points, which still stand. Patan has dozens of bahals, Buddhist monastery courtyards now surrounded by family homes, the best known being the Golden Temple, Hiranya Varna Mahavihar. Rato Machhindranath, the long chariot festival of the valley, belongs to Patan.
Patan Durbar Square is compact and beautiful: a line of temples facing the old palace, now partly the Patan Museum, with a fine collection of Himalayan bronze and ritual art. Combine the square with a walk through the bahals, a visit to a metal workshop and a Newari lunch, and you have Patan's best day.
Say it like a local · NewarBahal
a Buddhist monastery courtyard, often now lived in by families
What to do in Patan (Lalitpur)
Krishna Mandir
Built in 1637 under King Siddhi Narasimha Malla, this stone temple in the shikhara style has friezes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana along its upper floors. Only Hindus may enter. It fills with devotees at Krishna Janmashtami in August or September.
Patan Museum
Set in Keshav Narayan Chowk of the old palace, the museum displays bronze and stone images with clear English labels explaining how they were made and used. Allow two hours, and eat in the courtyard cafe behind it.
The Golden Temple
Hiranya Varna Mahavihar is a Buddhist monastery courtyard a few minutes north of Durbar Square, with a gilded facade, prayer wheels and a resident tortoise. Remove leather items before entering the inner courtyard and walk clockwise.
Bronze workshops
In the lanes north of the square, Newar families model statues in wax, coat them in clay, melt the wax out and pour in molten metal. Several workshops welcome respectful visitors. A finished statue can take weeks or months.
Kumbheshwar and the five-roofed Shiva
Kumbheshwar is one of only two five-roofed temples in the valley, the other being Nyatapola in Bhaktapur. Its tank is said to be fed from Gosainkunda lake, and it draws crowds during Janai Purnima.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Patan (Lalitpur)
In the lost-wax method a model is made in wax, covered in clay, and heated so the wax melts out; molten metal then fills the mould. Patan's Newar casters still make statues this way.
Source: Lost-wax casting
Krishna Mandir in Patan Durbar Square was built in 1637 by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla and is one of the few stone shikhara temples in a valley of brick and timber pagodas.
Source: Krishna Mandir, Patan
Experiences
Three days worth having in Patan (Lalitpur)
Photo: Sushilsakhuja · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Patan (Lalitpur) · 2–3 hours
Inside a Patan lost-wax bronze workshop
Walk the lanes north of Patan Durbar Square with a guide to see the stages of lost-wax casting: wax models, clay moulds…
Free to watch in most workshops; guided craft walk ₹2,000–3,500
Photo: Bijay Chaurasia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Patan (Lalitpur) · 3 hours
Patan Museum and the Durbar Square line
Start in the Patan Museum for the background, then walk the row of temples in Durbar Square with new eyes: Krishna Mand…
NPR 250 SAARC, NPR 1,000 others (square and museum)
Photo: Allie_Caulfield from Germany · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Patan (Lalitpur) · 2 hours
Golden Temple and Patan's hidden bahals
A morning walk through Patan's Buddhist courtyards, starting at the gilded Golden Temple and ending at Kumbheshwar's fi…
Small entry fee at the Golden Temple; walk free
Real prices
What things cost in Patan (Lalitpur)
ItemIndicative 2026
Patan Durbar Square entry (includes museum)₹155 SAARC (NPR 250); ₹625 other foreigners (NPR 1,000)
Taxi from Thamel₹400–600 one way
Newari lunch set₹250–500
Small cast-bronze statue in a workshop₹3,000–25,000+
Guesthouse double near the square₹1,800–4,000 a night
Licensed guide, half day₹1,500–2,500
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Patan (Lalitpur)
Air
Tribhuvan International Airport is about 8 km away, 25–40 minutes by taxi through the ring road.
Bus
Microbuses and Sajha buses run from Ratna Park in Kathmandu to Lagankhel and Patan Dhoka in 30–45 minutes for NPR 25–40.
Road
A taxi from Thamel crosses the Bagmati at Thapathali and takes 25–40 minutes. Ask for Patan Durbar Square or Mangal Bazaar.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Patan (Lalitpur)
Saver: a handful of simple guesthouses around Durbar Square and Mangal Bazaar offer doubles from ₹1,800, and Kathmandu's hostels are only 30 minutes away. Comfort: several restored Newar houses near the square have been turned into small heritage hotels with courtyards and rooftop breakfasts. Signature: there is no luxury hotel in old Patan; stay at Dwarika's in Kathmandu, about 30 minutes away by car, and spend a long day here with a private guide.
Trips that stop here
See Patan (Lalitpur) on a trip
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
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Questions
Patan (Lalitpur), answered
Is Patan worth visiting if I have seen Kathmandu Durbar Square?
Yes. Patan's square is smaller and more complete, the Patan Museum gives a clear introduction to Himalayan art, and the bronze workshops and Buddhist courtyards around it are Patan's own. We would not skip it.
What is the entry fee for Patan Durbar Square?
In 2026 SAARC visitors, including Indians, pay NPR 250 and other foreigners NPR 1,000, with the Patan Museum included. Show your passport or voter ID for the SAARC rate. Check current status before you travel.
How far is Patan from Thamel?
About 7 km, 25–40 minutes by taxi depending on traffic, for NPR 600–900. Microbuses from Ratna Park are cheaper but slower.
Where can I eat Newari food in Patan?
Restaurants around Durbar Square and Mangal Bazaar serve samay baji, bara, chatamari, choila and yomari in season. Try a full Newari set for NPR 400–800.
When is the Rato Machhindranath festival?
The chariot festival of Rato Machhindranath begins in spring, usually April or May, and the tall chariot is pulled through Patan over several weeks. Dates follow the lunar calendar. Check current status before you travel.
Is it safe to buy bronze statues in Patan?
Buying new work is fine. Avoid anything claimed to be antique, which may need clearance from the Department of Archaeology and may be illegal to export. Keep receipts for customs.
Should I stay overnight in Patan?
If you want quiet evenings and early courtyards, yes. Otherwise it is an easy day trip from Thamel. A night here also places you close to the ring road for an early Bhaktapur or Nagarkot start.
Is Patan good for kids?
Yes. Children usually enjoy the tortoises at the Golden Temple and watching casters at work. The square is pedestrian, but watch for motorbikes in the lanes.
Can I visit Bungamati from Patan?
Yes. Bungamati, a Newar village known for woodcarving and its Machhindranath temple, is about 10 km south. A taxi takes 30–40 minutes.