Nepal Earthquake: Before and after photos of historic landmarks
Parts of Nepal's history were damaged and forever lost in the April 25, 2015 earthquake. Centuries-old Hindu and Buddhist temples, many made of unmortared brick and wood, were reduced to rubble, and four of Nepal's UNESCO World Heritage sites suffered severe damage.
Satellite Photos
Here are DigitalGlobe satellite photos of Kathmandu, with Durbar Square in the center. On top, a photo taken in 2013. Below it, a photo taken on April 27, 2015, two days after the massive earthquake (Source: DigitalGlobe)
Watchtower levelled
Dharahara Tower, also known as Bhimsem Tower, is a city landmark in Kathmandu, Nepal. Often referred to as Nepal's Eiffel Tower, it stood nine storeys and was built as a watchtower for the queen in 1832.
It was destroyed in an earthquake in 1934 and it was restored three years later. On the left, the tower as it stood in 2011 (Photo by Geoff Stearns / Flickr, CC BY 2.0). On the right, volunteers work to remove debris after Saturday's 7.9-magnitude earthquake (Photo: AP / Niranjan Shrestha)
Royal Palace
The Gaddi Durbar (royal palace) was built in 1908 using European architectural design. It stands out in Kathmandu Durbar Square because of its white plaster and Greek columns.
The prime ministers in the Rana dynasty, who took over power in Nepal -- but not the throne -- from the Shahs Kings from 1846 to 1951, were highly influenced by European style.
On the left, the Gaddi Durbar as it stood in 2008 (xiquinhosilva / Flickr / CC BY 2.0). On the right, a view of the palace in the Basantapur Durbar Square that was damaged in Saturday’s earthquake, Sunday, April 26, 2015 (AP / Bernat Armangue).
Hanumandhoka Durbar Square
A Durbar Square in Nepal is where historic temples, water fountains, open courts and more can be found, and they are the most prominent remnants of Nepal's ancient kingdoms. Several buildings in these squares collapsed in the earthquake.
On the left, Hanumandhoka Durbar Square as it stood in January 2014 (Esmar Abdul Hamid / Flickr, CC BY 2.0). On the right, people try to lift debris from a temple at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square after the earthquake on Saturday, April 25, 2015 (Sunil Sharma/Xinhua via AP).
Pashupatinath Temple
The sacred Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu's oldest Hindu temple dating back to the 5th Century, survived the massive earthquake.
But the area outside the temple has become a place for holding mass cremations, as the death toll from the disaster rises. The temple is located on the banks of the Bagmati River and is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Hindu god of death and destruction.
On the left, Nepalese children play near the temple on June 3, 2013 (AP Photo / Niranjan Shrestha). On the right, people stand beside a burning pyre during the cremation of a victim of Saturday's earthquake, at the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sunday, April 26, 2015 (AP Photo / Bernat Armangue).
Garuda Statue
The Garuda is a large, bird-like creature and a Hindu divine character that is the mount (vahana) of Lord Vishnu. A large statue of Garuda was added in front of a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu in 1670 in Kathmandu's Basantapur Durbar Square.
On the left is a pillar where a statue of Garuda stood in March, 2008 (wonker / Flickr, CC BY 2.0). On the right is the partially damaged statue on Sunday, April 26, 2015 (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue).
Village destroyed
At the epicenter of Nepal's earthquake is a picturesque village of 1,200 people called Barpak in the Gorkha district. Three days after the quake hit, images and details of its devastating effects on remote areas outside of Kathmandu are beginning to emerge.
Photos on social media like the one below are starting to be shared, with descriptions like 'wrenching' in the captions. In the Instagram before-and-after photo below, 'iambijaydevkota' says that just 4 homes remain out of 1,200 in Barpak.
