Watching over the city of Kathmandu, and the university students who daily pace back and forth beneath this belfry, the Ghantaghar clock tower has withstood the test of time. The name translates literally to “hour house,” and it has dominated Kathmandu’s skyline since it was built in 1894 by Premier Bir Shumsher of the prominent Rana family. This 100-foot-tall edifice housed Shumsher’s library in addition to the British-made clock until 1901 when the Premier died. The original structure sadly did not survive the infamous 1934 earthquake, but fortunately the clock…
