Darbar squar •Almost 1/3 of the ancient temples, monasteries, and other ornate buildings were destroyed in the earthquake of 1934. Yet many gems remain.

•In Durbar Square, tourists will find the 55-Window Palace, which served as the seat of royalty prior to 1769. The palace has elaborately carved windows and doors and houses the National Art Gallery, with Buddhist Paubha scroll paintings, palm leaf manuscripts, and stone carvings.

•Just outside the palace, at the entrance to the Taleju Temple Complex is the Golden Gate, built in 1756, a splendid example of Repoussé metalwork. There also lies the Royal Bath, with its Golden Faucet.

•Durbar Square is also home to the Big Bell, built by the last Malla king of Bhaktapur, Ranajit Malla in the 18th century. It was rung to pay homage to the Goddess Taleju and to harken the public to town meetings.

Today it is rung twice a day as a tribute to the Goddess Taleju. Next to this bell is the Barking Bell, so named because dogs bark to its ring.

•Also in the Square lies the Yaksheswor Mahadev Temple, built by Yaksha Malla in the 15th century. It was modeled after the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and was designed with ornate wooden struts decorated with erotic carvings.

•Other sites in and around the square include the octagonal Chyasin Mandap, Siddhi Laxmi Temple, Shiva Temple (Fasi-dega), Vatsala Temple, Bhandarkhal Complex, Chatu Brahma Mahavihar, Indrayani Temple, Balakhu Ganesh Temple, Tripura-sundari Temple and the Char Dham symbolizing the four greatest Hindu pilgrimage sites.

•The Phasi Dega Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, affords expansive views of the entire city.

Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal

These are just a few of our photographs from one of our favourite places. We have been lucky enough to live in Kathmandu, Nepal for three years while serving with the Brigade of Gurkhas, as well as making other visits to trek in the Himalayas, privately and for the Gurkha Welfare Trust. The last visit was in November 2008 when we trekked, photographed and met old friends at the 60th Anniversary of Queen's Gurkha Engineers.

In our spare time we are volunteer fund-raisers for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

The Gurkha Welfare Trust supports several thousand ex-Gurkha soldiers and their widows who have no military pension, they also pay for medical treatment, help with providing water into villages, bridge building, support for schools etc. Margaret has a number of talks, all in aid of the Gurkha Welfare Trust - a list of the talks is here on the website. If you know of an organisation who would like to book one of Margaret's talks please contact us at crosses@crossimages.plus.com - 100% of the fee goes to the Trust, as well as 25% of sales from any photographs in this gallery. If you would like to have a look at the Trust's website please click here- you might also be interested in visiting the Gurkha Museum in Winchester - to visit their website click here

The recent news about the change to Gurkha pensions will not remove the need for the work of the Gurkha Welfare Trust. The changes will only affect soldiers who retired after 1997. Those the Trust supports retired prior to 1997 – predominantly World War II soldiers and their dependants. Your support is still needed.