The outer complex consists of numerous pagoda-style temples featuring the meticulously carved facades crafted by Newar artists, some of which date back to the 16th-century. Under the direction of the Malla Kings, Durbar Square underwent a series of changes and new architectural additions. King Mahendra Malla (1560–1574) commissioned the construction of the oldest temples in Durbar Square. Built in the Newari architectural style, his contributions included the Jagannath Temple, Kotilingeshwara Mahadev (a stone temple of Lord Shiva), the Mahendreswara Temple, and the magnificent Taleju Temple (the largest and perhaps most important temple of them all). Although these date back to the 16th-century, it’s believed that construction for the square itself and the palaces began as early as the 3rd-century. Learn More