KATHMANDU – Nepal Saturday inaugurated a replica of a historic tower that toppled in a devastating 2015 earthquake – a day before the disaster’s sixth anniversary.
Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli inaugurated the 23-storey, almost 276-foot, white tower, built next to the original spot. Oli, while speaking at the inauguration, said Dharahara Tower is linked to our past and history.
The original Dharahara Tower, which was built in the 1830s, was a major tourist attraction and was toppled among buildings that crumbled in the 7.8-magnitude quake that killed at least 9,000 people.
The new tower built under a huge national reconstruction programme. It has a garden, a museum, and a fountain, as well as two lifts to make it more accessible.
The replica tower is in a minaret shape and offers a wide view across the Kathmandu Valley. The visitors will however have to wait until November as there will be no access for the public for now.
