“A Rana aristocrat reputedly built this elegant garden with money he won gambling against his own father.”
About Garden of Dreams
Kaiser Shumsher Rana laid out the Garden of Dreams in the 1920s as a private pleasure garden in the European neo-classical style, complete with pavilions, an amphitheatre and ornamental ponds. According to popular tradition it was financed by his gambling winnings. After decades of decline following his death, it was restored in the 2000s with Austrian support and reopened as a public garden.
What Garden of Dreams is
The Garden of Dreams is a beautifully restored neo-classical garden at the core of Kathmandu, a tranquil walled oasis of pavilions, fountains, lawns and flowerbeds just steps from the chaos of Thamel. Once the private garden of a Rana aristocrat, it offers a serene retreat from the noise and bustle of the city.
Once the private garden of a Rana aristocrat, it offers a serene retreat from the noise and bustle of the city.
Built on a Gambling Win
The garden was created in the 1920s by Field Marshal Kaiser Shumsher Rana, a member of the powerful Rana dynasty that then ruled Nepal, and it was famously said to have been funded by money he won gambling with his father. Designed as a 'garden of six seasons' in an Edwardian neo-classical style, with pavilions named after the seasons, it fell into neglect after his death before being lovingly restored with Austrian help into the elegant haven it is today.
The Experience
You pass through a gateway from the busy street into a calm, manicured world of fountains, classical pavilions, pergolas and lawns, where you can sit, read, picnic or take coffee at the cafe in peaceful surroundings. The contrast with the surrounding city is the great appeal, a genuine oasis of quiet and beauty. It is a favourite spot to escape the intensity of Kathmandu for an hour or two.
Why It Matters
The Garden of Dreams preserves a refined example of Rana-era aristocratic taste and European-influenced design in Kathmandu, and works as a successful model of heritage restoration. As a rare green sanctuary in a dense, hectic city, it offers both historic interest and a welcome retreat for residents and visitors alike.
The Garden of Dreams preserves a refined example of Rana-era aristocratic taste and European-influenced design in Kathmandu, and works as a successful model of heritage restoration.
Why Visit
A serene neo-classical garden oasis beside Thamel, a restored Rana-era retreat of pavilions and fountains and a peaceful escape from Kathmandu's bustle.
✦ Insider Tips
- 1
It is a quiet retreat just steps from busy Thamel.
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Relax at the garden cafe among the pavilions.
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Spring brings the flowerbeds to their colourful best.
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There is a small entry fee that helps maintain it.
