Kirtipur is an ancient city with a diverse culture, history, and social makeup.

Brief History of Kirtipur
The history of Kirtipur is really fascinating. The word “Kirtipur” means “glory city.” The fall of Kirtipur actually brought down an entire empire. Prior to the 1770’s, the Kathmandu Valley was ruled by the Malla Dynasty. This dynasty is often referred to as the “Golden Age” of the valley because of its emphasis on craftsmanship. Most of the famous Nepali architecture was built during this time frame including all of the Durbar Squares.

In the 1750’s, the Gorkha King was trying to take over with little luck. The Gorkhali army actually attacked this little city three times before winning. The first attack was somewhat straight-forward, while the second attack involved setting up blockades to starve the residents of the city. After little success, they attacked at night, but the townspeople threw stones over the walls to deter the army from getting in.

On the third try, the Gorkhas made it into the city with the help of a traitor who showed them the way. It’s said that the Gorkha King was so mad at being defeated so many times that he killed anyone noteworthy and cut the noses off of the remaining 800 villagers. At the time this was a common punishment for thieves. After capturing Kirtipur, the army was able to capture the remainder of the Kathmandu Valley, and the rule changed from the Malla dynasty to the Shah dynasty which lasted until 2008. In Nepali history, this was known as the unification of Nepal.

There’s also an interesting story of a woman named Kirti Laxmi who disguised herself as a man to fight off the Gorkha army. She continued to fight them even after they gained control. She was later held captive and took her own life, but before being captured, she inspired the army not to give up. It’s said that the city is named in her honor. Today, Kirtipur is a quiet city with beautiful temples and views of the Himalaya.