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The Keshar Mahal Palace and Gardens - also called the 'Garden of the Six Seasons' or the 'Garden of Dreams' (Dreams Garden) - is located in the centre of Kathmandu within the main tourist district of Thamel. It represents one of the most prominent architectural examples of Nepal's Rana period. History of the Garden:
The Gardens, with their mixture of western and oriental elements, and the adjacent neo-classical Palace were built in the 1920s by Keshar Shumshere Rana, the third son of the Rana ruler in power at that time. A widely travelled scholar and researcher, he also amassed one of the largest libraries in Asia as well as an extensive collection of works on botany. His gardens abounded with all kinds of plants - not only from Nepal but also from Australia and Europe. The name 'Garden of the Six Seasons' reflects the six seasons prevailing in southern Asia : spring, early summer, summer monsoon, early autumn, late autumn and winter. Each of these seasons was represented with its own pavilion. Only three of the pavilions remain and will be adapted and used for catering facilities. From ecohimal.com http://www.ecohimal.org/english/kesharmahal_e.htm |