KATHMANDU, NEPAL, July 16, 2008: Nepal’s main royal palace will soon open as a public museum offering a glimpse of centuries of royal life, including a jewel-studded crown, a king’s throne, royal attires and a vintage car with a peculiar history, the government said on Monday. Home Secretary Umesh Mainali said the target was to complete work in a month and half before opening to the public, though a firm date has not yet been set. The palace in Katmandu was formally renamed the Narayanhiti Palace Museum at a government ceremony on Sunday, days after deposed King Gyanendra moved out.
Artifacts on display were accumulated by the Shah dynasty in its 239-year rule of the Himalayan nation. The Narayanhiti palace had been Gyanendra’s home since 2001. A 1939 Mercedes Benz given by the German Nazi leader Hitler to King Tribhuvan, Gyanendra’s grandfather, will be restored and displayed at the museum, Mainali said. But the main attraction will likely be the king’s extravagant crown, decorated with peacock feathers and yak hair, studded with precious stones including diamonds, emeralds and rubies and made for King Mahendra, Gyanendra’s father, half a century ago.