The GhantaGhar (घन्टाघर)

The words "Ghanta" and "Ghar" in Nepali mean "Hour" and "House" in English respectively. And thus the word "GhantaGhar" means the house that is used for looking hours or time.

The first public tower clock in Nepal, is situated at the heart of capital city Kathmandu (in the area of Trichandra College). The original clock tower was designed after the Big Ben of London, as Western influence crept into Nepalese architecture during the Rana era. The historic clock tower built by Rana Prime Minister Shri Tin Bir Shamsher still rings the hourly bell reminding its history, the past and present of Kathmandu. Under this tower is also an historic solar chronometer which measured time based on the position of sun and the shadow it casted on a bronze angle fixed at the center of the dial. The Tri-chandra College, established in 1818 AD, the oldest college, is situated under the clock tower. The tower was devastated by the great earthquakes of 1990 BS (1934) it was re-built by Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher in its present form.