KATHMANDU , Nepal ( CNN ) -- Nepal 's new government has converted its deposed king 's opulent palace into a museum and unfurled the national flag on Sunday as a symbolic move to signify the end of monarchy . The Narayanthi Royal Palace has been converted into a museum . `` The national flag is fluttering in the hands of the people in the royal palace now , '' said Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at a ceremony at the former palace Sunday . Ex-King Gyanendra , 60 , left Narayanhiti Royal Palace on Wednesday . He will live as a civilian in a summer palace on a forested hilltop outside the capital . Gyanendra 's departure came following the declaration of the former Himalayan kingdom as a republic last month . The monarchy 's end after 239 years of rule was the culmination of a two-year peace process in which Maoist insurgents in Nepal gave up their armed struggle , joined mainstream politics and won the most seats in April 's election for the Constituent Assembly . The assembly is tasked with rewriting the constitution , deciding the country 's future political system and governing the nation . Gyanendra came to power in 2001 when his brother , King Birendra , and his family were massacred in the palace by the crown prince , who later shot himself . Gyanendra last week denied rumors that he had played a role in that event .
Nepal 's new government converts deposed king 's palace into museum . National flag unfurled over building in symbolic end to monarchy . Comment: