MESSAGE FROM CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

Dear Visitors,

Welcome!

I am rejoiced to have you in Kathmandu - the capital city of Nepal. As you may already know, Kathmandu is an age old city founded in 723 A.D. by King Gunakama Dev. It was established at the sacred confluence of two rivers, the Bagmati and Bishnumati, in the southern slopes of the Himalayas. The old Kathmandu or "Kasthamandap" corresponds to the current Hanumandhoka Durbar Square i.e. the old royal palace complex with a network of old temples and narrow streets lined with multi-store houses. Due to its long history, the city has many other sites of historical and cultural significance. Excluding the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, there are three other World Heritage Sites as labeled by the UNESCO. Namely they are the Swayambhunath Temple (a temple revered by both Buddhists and Hindus), Pashupatinath Temple (one of the holiest temples in Hindu tradition), and Bouddhanath (a stupa built in the 5th century that contains the relics of Kasyapa Buddha - the predecessor of Gautama Buddha).

Like all the other major cities, Kathmandu has its challenges. Rapidly growing urban population due to disproportionately growing economic activity as compared to the other parts of Nepal has put tremendous pressure on natural resources and physical infrastructures of Kathmandu like roads and transmission lines. Furthermore, the growing population and the accompanying challenges have also affected the Metropolitan City Office's own management capabilities. Nevertheless, despite these challenges that we are faced with and by capitalizing on our strengths, we are determined to make Kathmandu City a cleaner greener modern day metropolis that serves as a popular tourist destination.

No matter where you go or what you do in Kathmandu, one thing is absolutely certain. You will be highly impressed by the hospitality of the denizens towards their guests.

So I urge you to make the most out of this opportunity, get immersed into the Nepali culture, experience it first hand, and learn about centuries old history of Kathmandu City. I am confident that If you are interested in history, culture, religion or maybe just observing natural beauty, Kathmandu will satiate you, it will inspire you. The beauty of Kathmandu, the elegance of its temples, the nature of its festivities and the flavor of its food will have you coming back for more.

Thank you.