Kaiser Library

Kaiser Library, inside Kathmandu's Kaiser Mahal, holds over 45,000 books from Field Marshal Kaiser Shumsher Rana's personal collection, including rare and centuries-old volumes. The 2015 earthquake did real damage here: only the ground floor has been restored, and the grand two-storey reading room described in older write-ups is mostly gone. Worth a stop for book lovers or if you're already at the nearby Garden of Dreams, not a dedicated destination on its own.

It was a famous tourist attraction, but after Nepal was struck by an earthquake in 2015, the library took a major hit. Although the ground floor has been restored and opened to the public, the grandeur of the place is more or less lost. One may still visit to check out the collection of books and artifacts that were recovered and restored.

The library originally had gorgeous wooden furniture antique decor with mirrors, portraits, statues, taxidermied animals and weapons on display. It had two floors with huge windows to let enough light and air come in. The seating was well planned with dark wood tables and chairs, and all the books were stacked beautifully in wooden racks. What remains now is just the ground floor with the recovered collection stacked haphazardly. There is very little space for readers to sit down and read one of the works of literature, but visitors can borrow some books from the library. The recovered collection has some rare books, first editions and some about a thousand year old. Outside the library is an enchanting garden with fountains, verandas, pavilions, a lotus pool and birdhouses which quite resemble the Edwardian Gardens.