Keshar Mahal - Garden of Dreams

For many years, the preservation of Nepal's unique architecture, as part of the World Cultural Heritage, has been an important objective within the work of Austria’s development cooperation. 

The Keshar Mahal Palace and Gardens - also called the 'Garden of the Six Seasons' or the 'Garden of Dreams' - is located in the centre of Kathmandu within the tourist district of Thamel. It represents one of the most prominent architectural examples of Nepal's Rana period. Years of neglect resulted in the decay of its most magnificent pavilions and garden landscape until in 1998 – the 'Visit Nepal' year - a group of Nepalese and Austrian experts in the preservation of historic monuments decided to take action to save and restore the site.

In order to stop the decay and to transform the park into a 'Garden of Dreams' again, EcoHimal, in cooperation with local and international experts, became engaged in restoring the entire site. A main objective has been the restoration of the valuable historic buildings and the training of local craftsmen in the various skills of restoration. The revitalization of the historical gardens and the training of a local team to manage the site serves as a model for the development of high-quality tourism in Nepal.

The restoration project was successfully completed at the end of 2007. The garden and its buildings were restored to their original beauty and offer visitors a peaceful oasis in the midst of the hectic city life of Kathmandu.

In the autumn of 2007, the garden was handed over to the present management, the Keshar Mahal Board, made up of representatives of government and private business with relevant experience.  The revenues from the restaurant and from renting a part of the garden for cultural events guarantee a long-term successful operation and maintenance of the site.