Dattatreya Square (Tachapal Tole) is the oldest of Bhaktapur's three historic squares and the most local-feeling — fewer tour groups reach it, and it has a quieter rhythm than Durbar Square or Taumadhi. The Dattatreya Temple at its centre is unusual in being dedicated simultaneously to Shiva, Vishnu, and Buddha — reflecting the Newari religious tradition of incorporating all three without contradiction.
The streets behind Dattatreya Square are where many of Bhaktapur's traditional craftspeople work: woodcarvers, metalworkers, and thangka painters operate in small workshops that have been in the same buildings for generations. The area around Pottery Square, on the approach to Dattatreya, is also the heart of the town's ceramic tradition. This is the neighbourhood to wander in slowly.