Kirtipur Historic Citadel
Kirtipur is an ancient Newar hilltop citadel southwest of Kathmandu, renowned for its formidable stone walls, medieval brick architecture, and proud history of fierce independence. In the 1760s, Kirtipur endured one of the most violent sieges in Himalayan history during King Prithvi Narayan Shah's conquest of the Kathmandu Valley. After repelling two major Gorkhali assaults, the town was betrayed from within on the third attempt. In a infamous act of retribution, the conqueror ordered the noses and lips of all male inhabitants sliced off. Today, the narrow cobblestone lanes, Bagh Bhairab Temple, and ancient stone gateways are famous for encounters with phantom soldiers, ghostly weeping, and spectral figures wandering the historic battlements.