Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the ceremonial and political centre of the old city — a complex of temples, shrines, courtyards, and palace buildings accumulated over several centuries of Malla dynasty rule. The square is entered through a gate off the main road, and a ticket is required for foreign visitors; the revenue goes toward restoration work that has been ongoing since the 2015 earthquake.
The main elements are the Royal Palace to the north, the 55-Window Palace facing south, the Golden Gate entrance to the inner palace courtyard, and a dense clustering of temples and shrines around the central space. It is possible to spend two hours here without seeing everything, and the light in the late afternoon, when it catches the carved wood and gilded metal, is particularly good.