The historic coronation palace in Basantapur has been opened to the public today. Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Maheshwar Neupane inaugurated the meeting today.
The historic coronation palace (Gaddi Baithak), which was damaged by the devastating earthquake of 2015 AD, has been renovated by a company called Mia Moto and Cultural Heritage Fund under the US Ambassador Fund for Cultural Preservation. Apart from this, historical weapons and documentaries can also be viewed in the three galleries on the ground floor of the 'Gaddi Baithak' today, said Sandeep Khanal, Chief of Hanumandhoka Durbar Care Center.
The public does not have to pay extra to observe the historic coronation palace. Chief Khanal informed that the coronation can be observed only by paying the fee paid for entering the Pravesh Durbar premises earlier.
After the earthquake, the coronation palace was renovated and handed over to the Government of Nepal by the US Embassy in 2015. Demonstrations have been arranged on the ground floor of the coronation palace, covering various political events from unification to republic. The weapons used by Prithvinarayan Shah are also on display in the room.
Similarly, some of the chowks in Hanuman Durbar and 100 years old photos and old ornaments related to the Durbar can be seen here.
Historical significance :
The historic coronation was built by the then Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher in 1965 in European architectural style. At that time, the meeting room was used to issue certificates of office to foreign guests and for important state meetings.
On the right side of the seat is a picture of 11 generations of Shah dynasty kings. Similarly, as soon as you enter through the door, there is an artistic door made of wood. Although the use of 'Gaddi Baithak' has decreased in recent times, it is now used during the visit of the Head of State and other distinguished guests to pay homage to the Living Goddess Kumari.
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