GTZ

When Heinrich Seemann first laid eyes on the palace and temples of the Darbar Square in Kathmandu, he was completely taken aback by the magnificent architecture. This was a world where culture was not displayed like a show-piece but where it was a part of the everyday life of the people. The medieval past was vibrantly alive.

His impression of the Darbar Squares of Patan and Bhaktapur was just as incredible. He knew he had to do something to preserve this extraordinary heritage. That was back in 1967 when he was First Secretary at the German Embassy.

"I was deeply fascinated by the culture and monuments. I felt like I had discovered an old civilisation," recounts Seemann. From that moment onwards, he couldn't rest. Seemann made several attempts to channel funds to preserve and restore the cultural monuments but without much luck until 1969.

Heinrich Seemann

That was the year when the then Crown Prince Birendra was to marry. Among the exclusive guest list for the royal wedding were high officials from Germany. "When you come to a wedding, you can't come empty handed," Seemann says with a smile. "Restoration and preservation of the Pujari Math in Bhaktapur then became the state wedding gift for the crown prince."

And so began what has now evolved as the Bhaktapur Development Project. Seemann met with architect Neils Gutschow who started work on the project with his team. The restoration of Pujari Math, famous for its peacock window, was completed in 1972.

"Bhaktapur was perfect because of its proximity to the capital?it was near yet far enough to implement such a project," Seemann cites as the reason for choosing the city. The project expanded as additional funds flowed in, this time as a gift on the occasion of king Birendra's coronation. The fund has renovated over 180 pieces of religious architecture.

It only takes a visit to Bhaktapur to understand how important this unconventional gift has been, not just for cultural

OLD GLORY: The Peacock window at the Pujari Mandir in Bhaktapur was the first restoration project of the initiative.

preservation but also to the people. The project initiated what it calls 'integrated urban development' that aimed to improve the living standards of the residents, concentrating on town planning and development of basic infrastructure like drinking water, sewerage, road construction and solid waste management.

The renovation has also opened doors to develop tourism, creating jobs for many.

"Bhaktapur has now become a model for other cities," Seemann says proudly, "Nepal has an exquisite wealth of cultural heritage. The people have to learn to preserve this richness and not lose it in the process of urban development."

Paavan Mathema