Pottery Square
Talako Tole
A pottery quarter on the south side of the old town. Pots drying in the sun and potters throwing clay at the wheel make Bhaktapur's most lively scene.
Pottery Square (Talako) is where Newar potters have lived and worked for generations. The square is packed with pots, flowerpots and clay lamps drying or waiting to be fired, while straw-covered kilns smoke nearby. Potters push large wooden wheels by hand to throw clay. Many workshops offer paid throwing experiences of about 15–30 minutes for a few hundred rupees, and you can buy a small piece as a souvenir. At the edge of the square are small shrines to Vishnu and Shiva. It is about a 3-minute walk south from Taumadhi Square.
Opening hours
Open all day; workshops approx. 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Nyatapola Temple
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square
- Bhairavnath Temple
- Siddha Pokhari
- Dattatreya Square & Peacock Window
- Suryabinayak Temple
- Kailashnath Mahadev Statue
- Panauti