Katmandu or
Kantipur is the capital of Nepal. It lies in the hilly region of Nepal, near the confluence of the Bagmati and Bishnumati Rivers. It is located at an elevation of 4,344 feet (1,324 meters) above sea level.
It was founded in 723 AD by King Gunakamadeva. Its early name was Manju-Patan. The present name “Kathmandu” refers to a wooden temple (
Kath, “wood”;
mandir, “temple” or “edifice”. Kastamandap which is said to have been built from the wood of a single tree by Raja Lachmina Singh in 1596 was a kettledrum from which the name of the city was derived. The Kastamandap still stands in the central square and is used for the accommodation of