Kasthamandap
Legend has it that the architectural masterpiece, Kasthamandap, was built out of a single Sal tree and has neither nails nor rivets holding it together
Kathmandu owes its very name to the Kasthamandap, in the southwestern corner of the square. Although its history is uncertain, local tradition says the three-roofed building was constructed around the 12th century from the wood of a single sal tree. At first it served as a community centre where visitors gathered before major ceremonies - a mandap is a 16-pillared pilgrim shelter.
The majestic Kasthamandap (Kastha: wood, mandap: pavilion) Temple, one of the oldest and most striking buildings in Kathmandu. The building is a preserved relic from the past and a testament to Nepal’s centuries-old architectural style.Legend has it that the wooden Kasthamandap temple, also known as “Maru Satal”, was constructed out of a single Sal tree. The Sal tree, native to the South Asian region, produces an especially hard variety of wood, good for long-lasting structures. To this day, Kasthamandap is said to have no metal nails or rivets holding it together.
Kasthamandap’s ornate roof blossoms out from a single spire into three layers: the smallest on the top level to the largest on the bottom. The temple, like many other buildings in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, was built in traditional pagoda style, an architectural design that is often synonymous with religion in South and Southeast Asia. The pagoda-style architecture emerged from India in the 3rd century and has since spread not only to Nepal, but also to Myanmar, Korea, Japan and beyond.
The pagoda-style roof of Kasthamandap is, perhaps, one of the most awe-inspiring aspects of the temple: each one of the three roof levels are meticulously layered with faded terracotta tiles. The building is surrounded by a grandiose, carved wood banister, which should be closely inspected by visitors to understand the care given to wood carving in 16th-century Nepal.
The majestic Kasthamandap (Kastha: wood, mandap: pavilion) Temple, one of the oldest and most striking buildings in Kathmandu. The building is a preserved relic from the past and a testament to Nepal’s centuries-old architectural style.Legend has it that the wooden Kasthamandap temple, also known as “Maru Satal”, was constructed out of a single Sal tree. The Sal tree, native to the South Asian region, produces an especially hard variety of wood, good for long-lasting structures. To this day, Kasthamandap is said to have no metal nails or rivets holding it together.
Kasthamandap’s ornate roof blossoms out from a single spire into three layers: the smallest on the top level to the largest on the bottom. The temple, like many other buildings in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, was built in traditional pagoda style, an architectural design that is often synonymous with religion in South and Southeast Asia. The pagoda-style architecture emerged from India in the 3rd century and has since spread not only to Nepal, but also to Myanmar, Korea, Japan and beyond.
The pagoda-style roof of Kasthamandap is, perhaps, one of the most awe-inspiring aspects of the temple: each one of the three roof levels are meticulously layered with faded terracotta tiles. The building is surrounded by a grandiose, carved wood banister, which should be closely inspected by visitors to understand the care given to wood carving in 16th-century Nepal.