The Narayanhiti Palace, or Narayanhiti Durbar, is a palace in Kathmandu, Nepal, which long served as a primary residence for the country’s monarchs.The palace compound is located in the north-central part of Kathmandu, at the head of Durbar marg.It is designed to be a contemporary pagoda with sprawling, park-like grounds covering an area of (30 hectares (74 acres)) all fully enclosed with walls and guarded gates. The current Narayanhiti Palace was built in 1970, replacing the original 1915 building, which had been destroyed in an earthquake. It was first used on the occasion of the marriage of King Birenda Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the then heir apparent to the throne. The southern gate of the palace is located at the intersection of Prithvi path and Durbar marg streets. The palace was also the scene of the 2001 Nepalese Royal Massacre. After the 2006 revolution toppled the monarchy, the newly elected assembly declared Nepal a republic and ordered the King to vacate the palace.The royal palace was turned into a public museum immediately after the country was declared a republic. The crown jewels are considered to be among the most valuable objects in Nepal.The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on 1 June 2001, at a house in the grounds of the Narayanhiti Royal Palace, then the residence of the Nepalese monarchy. The government declared that the heir to the throne, Prince Dipendra, killed nine members of his family and himself. However, the majority of citizens in Nepal condemned and disapproved the press conference issued, which referred to the Late Prince Dipendra as a mass murderer. The dead included King Birendra of Nepal and Queen Aishwarya. Prince Dipendra became de jure King of Nepal upon his father’s death and died whilst in a coma three days after the act. There are claims like that of a junior army staff deputed at the Narayanhiti Palace that Dipendra was already dead before being declared as the King. Gyanendra became king after the massacre along with the sentiment in Nepal disapproving prince Dipendra as the murderer. -