The 2015 earthquake in Nepal shook the heart of Wolfgang Korn miles away. Yet, after some months, the German architect was a bit happy and proud that he could help in the reconstruction process of four monuments in the Kathmandu valley.1

In his 20s, Wolfgang Korn wanted to travel to West Africa, but destiny had other plans for him. Hence, without any expectation, he first visited Nepal in 1968 when he was 25 as a part of the German Development Service project.

He is currently in his late 70s and still actively disseminating knowledge about traditional Nepali architecture to Nepali people. He has written four books about Nepali architecture—Traditional Architecture of the Kathmandu Valley, Lichhavi Chaityas in Kathmandu-Tal, The Buddhist Monasteries of Muang Sin and Erotic Carving of the Kathmandu Valley Found on Struts of Newar Temples—so far.

Renewing the old ties, he was sent to Nepal by the Senior Expert Service in Germany in 2013. The service sends some specialists contributing their skills during their young age to other countries, but only upon host countries’ request.

From his mid-20s to the late 70s, Wolfgang Korn studied a lot about Nepali culture and architecture, in particular those related to the Newa people of Kathmandu. The zeal he shows while talking about Nepal embodies the love and appreciation he has for the culture-rich Himalayan country.

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  • 1. “Those four monuments could be rebuilt as my sketches helped them scale the dimensions in the initial phase although my sketches were not the only factors,” says Korn about the reconstruction of monuments of Maju Dega, Kasthamandap, and Char Narayan of Kathmandu and the Vatsala Temple of Bhaktapur.
Wolfgang Korn measuring a Newa house in the 1970s
Wolfgang Korn measuring a Newa house in the 1970s - His passion for understanding Newa architecture grew as he stayed here and worked. “It was a bit difficult for me. When I came here in 1968, I did not know any history of Nepal or Nepali architecture. So by working for the building department, then working together with Mary Slusser and measuring monuments together with Gautama Vajra Vajracharya, I got more and more involved,” Wolfgang Korn says, “I like to explore anything that is new to me and get an answer to my curiosity. That’s how I learned and enhanced my knowledge about Newa architecture.” About the fascinating Newa technology for building, he shares, “During the work for the Hanumandhoka project, I learned that the chukul (hinge) is the most important element in the building here because, traditionally, no metal nails or screws were used. You put a building together with beams and rafters and keep them in position with chukuls.” “So if you start from top roofing, you pull chukuls and take rafters you can build and dismantle the structure. So, the whole thing is I didn’t know a technique that is simple but very effective before I came to Nepal.” © Wolfgang Korn