Sights in Around The Kathmandu Valley
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Bodhnath Stupa
There doesn't seem to be much agreement on how old the Bodhnath Stupa is, but it is likely that the first stupa (chörten in Tibetan) was built some time after AD 600, after the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, was converted to Buddhism by his two wives: the Nepali princess Bhrikuti and Wencheng Konjo from China. The stupa was said to have been built by a prince as penance for unwittingly killing his father.
The current stupa structure was probably built after the depredation of the Mughal invaders in the 14th century. Stupas were originally built to house holy relics. It is not certain if there is anything interred at Bodhnath, but some believe that there is a piece of bone…
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Kopan Monastery
On a hilltop north of Bodhnath, Kopan Monastery was founded by Lama Thubten Yeshe, who died in 1984, leading to a worldwide search for his reincarnation. A young Spanish boy, Osel Torres, was declared to be the reincarnated lama, providing the inspiration for Bernardo Bertolucci’s film Little Buddha. Lama Tenzin Osel Rinpoche no longer resides at Kopan, but visitors are welcome to explore the monastery and many people come here to study Buddhist psychology and philosophy.
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Swayambhunath Temple
There are two ways to approach Swayambhunath temple, but by far the most atmospheric is the stone pilgrim stairway that climbs the eastern end of the hill. Constructed by King Pratap Malla in the 17th century, this steep stone staircase is mobbed by troops of rhesus macaques, who have made an artform of sliding down the steep handrails. A word of advice: keep foodstuffs out of sight of these simian hoodlums!
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Rato Machhendranath Temple
South of Durbar Sq, on the western side of the road, is the Rato Machhendranath Temple . Rato (Red) Machhendranath, the god of rain and plenty, comes in a variety of incarnations. To Buddhists he is the Tantric edition of Avalokiteshvara, while to Hindus he is a version of Shiva.
Standing in a large courtyard, the three-storey temple dates from 1673, although an earlier temple may have existed on the site since 1408. The temple's four carved doorways are each guarded by lion figures and at ground level on the four corners of the temple plinth are reliefs of a curious yeti-like demon known as a kyah. A diverse collection of animals (including peacocks, horses, bulls, lions…
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Golden Temple
Also known as the Hiranya Varna or Suwarna Mahavihara, this unique Buddhist monastery is just north of Durbar Sq. Legends relate that the monastery was founded in the 12th century, although the earliest record of its existence is 1409. The doorway, flanked by gaudy painted guardian lions, gives no hint of the magnificent structure within.
The inner courtyard has a railed walkway around three sides and the entry is flanked by two stone elephants. Shoes and other leather articles must be removed if you leave the walkway and enter the inner courtyard. Look for the sacred tortoises pottering around in the courtyard - they are temple guardians. The main priest of the temple is…
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Kumbeshwar Temple
Directly north of Durbar Sq is Kumbeshwar Temple , one of the valley's three five-storey temples. The temple dominates the surrounding streets and is said to date from 1392, making it the oldest temple in Patan. The temple is noted for its graceful proportions and fine woodcarvings and is dedicated to Shiva, as indicated by the large Nandi, or bull, facing the temple.
The temple platform has two ponds whose water is said to come straight from the holy lake at Gosainkund, a long trek north of the valley. An annual ritual bath in the Kumbeshwar Temple's tank is claimed to be as meritorious as making the arduous walk to Gosainkund.
Thousands of pilgrims visit the Kumbeshwar T…
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Golden Gate & 55 Window Palace
The Golden Gate is generally agreed to be the single most important piece of art in the whole valley. The gate and palace were built by King Bhupatindra Malla, but were not completed until 1754 during the reign of Jaya Ranjit Malla, the last of the Bhaktapur Malla kings. The magnificent Golden Gate, or Sun Dhoka, and the entrance to the 55 Window Palace ( M0463) adjoin the National Art Gallery.
A Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu, tops the torana (the carved pediment above the temple door) and is shown here disposing of a number of serpents, which are the Garuda's sworn enemies. The four-headed and 10-armed figure of the goddess Taleju Bhawani is featured directly over the do…
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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 …
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Bhairabnath Temple
The well-restored, triple-roofed Bhairabnath Temple (also known as the Kasi Vishwanath or Akash Bhairab; M045A) has an unusual rectangular plan and a somewhat chequered history. It was originally built as a one-storey temple in the early 17th century, but was rebuilt with two storeys by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. The 1934 earthquake caused great damage to the temple and it was completely rebuilt and a third floor added.
Casually stacked by the north wall of the temple are the enormous wheels and temple chariot runner on which the image of Bhairab (a fearsome form of Shiva) is conveyed around town during the Bisket festival in mid-April. Bhaktapur celebrates Bisket Ja…
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Krishna Mandir
After you enter Durbar Sq, the third temple you reach is the Krishna Mandir , which was built by King Siddhinarsingh Malla. Records indicate that the temple was completed with the installation of the image on the 1st floor in 1637. With its strong Mughal influences, this stone temple is clearly of Indian design, unlike the nearby brick-and-timber, multiroofed Newari temples.
The 1st and 2nd floors of this temple are made up of a line of three miniature pavilions, from the top of which rises a shikhara-style spire. Musicians can often be heard playing upstairs.
Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu, so the god's vehicle, the man-bird Garuda, kneels with folded arms on top of …
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Til Mahadev Narayan Temple
It's easy to miss Taumadhi Tole's third interesting temple, as it is hidden away behind the buildings on the southern side of the square. You can enter the temple's courtyard through a narrow entrance through those buildings, or through an arched entrance facing west, just to the south of the square.
This double-roofed Vishnu temple has a Garuda kneeling on a high pillar in front, flanked by pillars bearing Vishnu's sankha and chakra symbols. Some of the temple's struts also depict Garudas. A lingam in a yoni (female equivalent of the phallic symbol) stands inside a grilled structure in front and to one side of the temple. A plaque to the lower right of the door depicts t…
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Potters' Sq
On the northern side of the square a small hillock is topped by a Ganesh shrine and a shady pipal tree. There are fine views over the river to the hills south of Bhaktapur. The square itself has two small temples: a solid-brick central Vishnu Temple and the double-roofed Jeth Ganesh Temple. The latter is an indicator of how long the activity all around the square has been going on - a wealthy potter donated the temple in 1646 and to this day its priest is chosen from the potter caste.
Pottery is very clearly what this square is all about; the southern side of the square is lined with clay stores and potters' wheels, and the square (and other parts of town) is often filled…
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Uku Bahal
This Buddhist monastery near the Mahabouddha Temple is one of the best known in Patan. The main courtyard is absolutely packed with interesting bits and pieces - dorjes, bells, peacocks, elephants, Garudas, rampant goats, kneeling devotees and a regal-looking statue of a Rana general. The lions are curious, seated on pillars with one paw raised in salute, looking as if they should be guarding a statue of Queen Victoria in her 'not-amused' incarnation rather than a colourful Nepali monastery.
As you enter the main courtyard from the north look for the finely carved wooden struts above, on the northern side of the courtyard. They are said to be among the oldest of this type…
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King Yoganarendra Malla's Statue
Immediately north of the Hari Shankar Temple is a tall column topped by a figure of King Yoganarendra Malla (1684-1705) and his queens. The golden figure of the kneeling king, atop a lotus bud and protected by the hood of a cobra, has been facing towards his palace since the year 1700. On top of the cobra's head is the figure of a bird; legend has it that as long as the bird remains there the king may still return to his palace.
Accordingly, a door and window of the palace are always kept open and a hookah (a water pipe used for smoking) is kept ready for the king should he return. A rider to the legend adds that when the bird flies off, the elephants in front of the Vish…
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Dattatreya Temple
The tall, square Dattatreya Temple was originally built in 1427, but alterations were made in 1458. Like some other important structures in the valley it is said to have been built using the timber from a single tree.
The temple is dedicated to Dattatreya, a blending of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, although the Garuda-topped pillar and the traditional weapons of Vishnu (conch and a disc) on their pillars indicate the strong influence of Vishnu. The temple is important to Shaivites, Vaishnavites and Buddhists.
The three-storey temple is raised well above the ground on its base, the sides of which are carved with some erotic scenes. The front section, which was a later additio…
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Pujari Math
There are 10 buildings around the square that were originally used as maths (Hindu monasteries).The best known was the Pujari Math. It was originally constructed in the 15th century during the reign of King Yaksha Malla, but was rebuilt in 1763. German experts renovated the building in 1979 as a wedding gift for the then King Birendra. Until the 20th century, an annual caravan brought tributes to the monastery from Tibet.
The Pujari Math is principally famed for the superb 15th-century peacock window, 30m down a small alley on the right-hand side. It is reputed to be the finest carved window in the valley and is the subject of countless postcards and photographs. The shop…
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Mul Chowk
The palace's central courtyard, Mul Chowk , is the largest and oldest of the palace's three main chowks (squares). Unfortunately, it's open haphazardly at best, generally when you slip the caretakers some baksheesh (a tip). Two stone lions guard the entrance to the courtyard, which was built by Siddhinarsingh Malla, destroyed in a fire in 1662 and rebuilt by Srinivasa Malla in 1665-66. At the centre of the courtyard stands the small, gilded Bidya Temple.
The palace's three Taleju temples stand around the courtyard. The doorway to the Shrine of Taleju or Taleju Bhawani, on the southern side of the courtyard, is flanked by the statues of the river goddesses Ganga, on a tort…
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Bhimsen Temple
At the northern end of Durbar Sq, the Bhimsen Temple is dedicated to the god of trade and business, which possibly explains its well-kept and prosperous look. Bhimsen, a hero of the Mahabharata, was said to be extraordinarily strong. Look out for the place settings with bowls, spoons and cups nailed up on the roof struts as offerings.
The three-storey temple has had a chequered history. Although it is not known when it was first built, an inscription records that it was rebuilt in 1682 after a fire. Restorations also took place after the great 1934 earthquake, and again in 1967. A lion tops a pillar in front of the temple, while the brick building has an artificial marble…
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Vatsala Durga Temple & Taleju Bell
The stone Vatsala Durga Temple ( M0460), which was built by King Jagat Prakash Malla in 1672 (some sources say 1727), sits beside King Bhupatindra Malla's statue and directly in front of the Royal Palace. The shikhara-style temple has some similarities to the Krishna Mandir in Patan. In front of the temple is the large Taleju Bell, which was erected by King Jaya Ranjit Malla in 1737 to mark morning and evening prayers at the Taleju Temple.
A second, smaller bell stands on the temple's plinth and is popularly known as 'the barking bell'. It was erected by King Bhupatindra Malla in 1721, supposedly to counteract a vision he had in a dream, and to this day dogs are said to b…
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Tadhunchen Bahal
The Tadhunchen Bahal , or Chatur Varna Mahavihara, dates from 1491 and is noteworthy as the place where the cult of the Kumari, Nepal's living goddesses, originally started. Bhaktapur actually has three Kumaris but they lack the political importance of Kathmandu's.
In the inner courtyard the roof struts on the eastern side have some highly unusual carvings showing the tortures of the damned. In one a snake is wrapped around a man, another shows two rams butting an unfortunate's head from opposite sides, while a third strut shows a nasty tooth extraction being performed with a large pair of pliers! You may see copper chasing going on in the courtyard.
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Siddhi Lakshmi Temple
By the southeastern corner of Bhaktapur's Royal Palace stands the stone Siddhi Lakshmi Temple also known as the Lohan Dega, or Stone Temple. The steps up to the temple are flanked by male and female attendants, each leading a rather reluctant child and a rather eager-looking dog. On successive levels the stairs are flanked by horses, rhinos, man-lions and camels.
The 17th-century temple marks the dividing line between the main and secondary parts of Durbar Sq. Behind the temple is another Vatsala Temple, while to one side of it are two rather lost-looking curly-haired stone lions, standing by themselves out in the middle of the square.
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Royal Palace of Patan
Forming the whole eastern side of the Durbar Sq is the Royal Palace of Patan . Parts of the palace were built in the 14th century, but the main construction was during the 17th and 18th centuries by Siddhinarsingh Malla, Srinivasa Malla and Vishnu Malla. The Patan palace predates the palaces of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur.
It was severely damaged during the conquest of the valley by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768 and also by the great earthquake of 1934, but it remains one of the architectural highlights of the valley, with a series of connecting courtyards and three temples dedicated to the valley's main deity, the goddess Taleju.
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Durbar Sq
As in Kathmandu, the ancient Royal Palace of Patan faces on to Durbar Sq and this concentrated mass of temples is undoubtedly the most visually stunning display of Newari architecture to be seen in Nepal.
The square rose to its full glory during the Malla period (14th to 18th centuries), and particularly during the reign of King Siddhinarsingh Malla (1619-60). Patan's major commercial district, the Mangal Bazar, runs to the southern edge of the square.
The entry fee is payable at the southern end of Durbar Sq. For repeated visits to Durbar Sq ensure that your visa validity date is written on the back of your ticket.
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Minanath Temple
South of Durbar Sq is a two-storey Minanath Temple dedicated to the Buddhist Bodhisattva who is considered to be the little brother of Rato Machhendranath. The Minanath image is towed around town during the Rato Machhendranath festival, but in a much smaller chariot (look out for the epic chariot runners).
The quiet temple dates from the Licchavi period (3rd to 9th centuries), but has undergone several recent restorations and has roof struts carved with figures of multi-armed goddesses, all brightly painted.
There's a large well-used hiti (water tank) in front.
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Sundari Chowk
South of Mul Chowk is the smaller Sundari Chowk , with its superbly carved sunken water tank known as the Tusha Hiti. Unfortunately the courtyard is currently closed. Behind Sundari Chowk, and also not open to the public, is the Royal Garden and Kamal Pokhari water tank. The area is slated for renovation as a park by Unesco.
Back in main Durbar Sq the blocked-off entrance to Sundari Chowk is guarded by stone statues of Hanuman, Ganesh and Vishnu as Narsingha, the man-lion. The gilded metal window over the entrance from the square is flanked by windows of carved ivory.
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