Lalitpur, city, eastern Nepal, administrative center of Lalitpur District, on the Bagmati River, in the Kathmandu Valley, near Kathmandu. It is the second largest city in the country. The surrounding area produces barley, wheat, millet, oats, corn, rice, potatoes, and vegetables. The city is known for its metalwork, brassware, woven textiles, matches, and handicrafts; an industrial area was established in the 1960s. The site of Lalitpur is very old, having parts of ancient walls and Hindu temples dating from the 3d century bc and Buddhist temples of the 15th and 16th centuries. Founded about ad 650, Lalitpur was the capital of the traditional first king of Nepal. During the Middle Ages the area was alternately an independent Newar kingdom or tributary to Kathmandu or Bhaktapur, until the present Gurkha dynasty conquered it in 1768. The city was formerly known as Patan; the present Sanskrit name is now in official use. Population (1981) 79,875.