The 2016 filmDoctor Strangewas a special marker in the development of the MCU, as it brought brand-new elements to the fictional universe. The film introducedmagic and sorcerers, and showcased the first instance of time manipulation in the MCU. The Kamar-Taj sequence, in particular, was instrumental in establishing the background and character of Dr. Strange, one whose origins sat apart from any other MCU characters till that point.
The visuals of an exotic city with an ancient architectural style allowedDoctor Strangeto properly stand out — something that was necessary given the new elements introduced in the movie. Significantly, the landscapes weren’t an indoor set; it was the real city of Kathmandu, Nepal.Director Scott Derricksonhas shared that shooting in the real location was “absolutely vital to the film”. Leadactor Benedict Cumberbatchhimself was quite taken with Kathmandu, especially since that’s where the filming forDoctor Strangestarted, saying toGist: “These beautiful places that you’d be lucky enough to get to as a traveler, let alone call it working, and then to watch that sunset over Boudhanath Stupa after a day of filming. That was perfection, really special, and tied the whole experience together for me. It was a brilliant footnote at the beginning of this long journey.”
While Kathmandu is the modern-day capital of Nepal, the city itself has a history that is thousands of years old. The pivotal Kamar-Taj sequence features some of its oldest historic sites. Here are some of the ancient locations of Kathmandu featured in Doctor Strange.
The Ason Square
One of the first scenes of Kathmandu shown inDoctor Strangeis the bustling Ason Square. This obscure square has been a center of business for more than 1000 years, and was a part of the Chinese Silk Road. Local traders of the Newar ethnicity would travel from here to the city of Lhasa, Tibet even until the mid-20th Century to conduct business across nations. To this day, Ason Square is a bustling center of human activity, and street vendors are known to sell much of the same wares as hundreds of years ago — spices, utensils, and religious paraphernalia. In the movie, Stephen can be seen walking through one of its major alleys with the Square right in the background.
The Pashupatinath Temple
The Kamar-Taj montage heavily features the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most significant Hindu pilgrimage destinations. The Pashupatinath Temple is like no other in the world; the ‘temple’ is actually a sprawling complex of shrines that sit together in a dizzying architectural marvel. The movie’s very first look at this site is a landscape shot that feels completely alien to the western eye — the very effect that Derrickson was looking to achieve from shooting in Nepal.
Pashupatinath also doubles as a major funeral ground. The traditional cremation site is atop a series of stairs that lead down to the holy Bagmati river. In the brief landscape shot, one can see billows of smoke arising from this platform. It is here that Doctor Strange asks for directions to Kamar-Taj to a passerby. The man, who is subsequently seen pointing off in the direction, is dressed in the garb of a puroheet or a learned Hindu priest. Given that Kamar-Taj is a source of secret spiritual knowledge, it’s a nice hidden detail that a puroheet ends up giving the directions to it.
Boudhanath Stupa
Hindus and Buddhists have coexisted in Kathmandu for a long time, and the city also holds some major Buddhist religious sites. The 1400-year-old Boudhanath Stupa is one such location. This stupa is ascribed a special significance in Buddhism, as it is believed to hold the remains of an early buddha. This monument also lies on the Chinese Silk Road. This is the location where Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Baron Mordo begins to follow Stephen during the Kamar-Taj montage.
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Patan Durbar Square
Kathmandu and two of its neighboring cities have each preserved an ancient palace square that is virtually the same as it was, hundreds of years ago. The three cities — Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan were ruled by a clan known as the Mallas. These rulers led their city-kingdoms through an era of prosperity and artistic flourishing. The Durbar Squares — or Palace Squares — were the epitome of these kings’ pride. The squares that are preserved today were the result of multiple generations of work as each subsequent ruler added their own touches to the squares, commissioning idols and temples. Today, the palace around which the Patan Durbar Square was built functions as a museum of historic art. Some of the indoor Kamar-Taj scenes were shot in this palace building.
No wandering tourist leaves Nepal without visiting Thamel at least once. The site of an old settlement of Kathmandu, Thamel earned repute in the 70s as a part of the legendary Hippie trail. Marijuana was fully legal in Nepal during this period, and the country’s local ‘product’ was considered a special delicacy. Today, Thamel is the home base for travelers coming to Nepal, and the starting point for mountaineers seeking to climb the Himalayan country’s peaks. WhileDoctor Strangedoesn’t offer more than a few shots of this location, the touristy signboard advertising inner peace could only have been found in Thamel.
