Nyatapola Temple

The five-storey, 30m-high Nyatapola Temple ( M0458) is not only the highest temple in Nepal, but also one of the best examples of traditional Newari temple architecture. The temple appears to soar above Bhaktapur's rooftops, with the snow-capped Himalaya as a dramatic backdrop.

Built during the reign of King Bhupatindra Malla in 1702, its design and construction were so solid that the 1934 earthquake caused only minor damage. The stairway leading up to the temple is flanked by guardian figures at each plinth level. The bottom plinth has the legendary Rajput wrestlers Jayamel and Phattu, said to have the strength of 10 men. On the plinths above are two elephants, then two lions, then two griffins and finally two goddesses - Baghini and Singhini. Each figure is said to be 10 times as strong as the figure on the level below. Presiding over all of them, but hidden away inside the temple, is the mysterious Tantric goddess Siddhi Lakshmi, to whom the temple is dedicated.

Only the temple's priests are allowed to see the image of the goddess, but the temple's 108 carved and painted roof struts depict her in her various forms. Various legends and tales relate to the temple and its enigmatic inhabitant. One is that she maintains a balance with the powers of the terrifying Bhairab, comfortably ensconced in his own temple just across the square.