On the east side of the Rato Machhendranath Temple square stood a small temple with a double-tier roof that enshrined a ferocious-looking brass mask of Bhairab in front of a brass vessel in the shape of a kapala (human-skull bowl). This temple collapsed in the 2015 earthquake and the mask and kapala are kept in a temporary shrine while awaiting the rebuilding of the temple.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
7.32 MILES
The first stupa at Boudhanath was built sometime after AD 600, when the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, converted to Buddhism. In terms of grace and purity…
5.95 MILES
The Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the crowning glories of Kathmandu Valley architecture. This perfectly proportioned monument rises through a whitewashed…
5.16 MILES
Kathmandu's royal palace, known as the Hanuman Dhoka, was originally founded during the Licchavi period (4th to 8th centuries AD), but the compound was…
3.44 MILES
This unique Buddhist monastery is just north of Durbar Sq. It was allegedly founded in the 12th century, and it has existed in its current form since 1409…
8.28 MILES
The magnificent Golden Gate is a visual highlight of Durbar Sq. Set into a bright red gatehouse surrounded by white palace walls, the fabulous golden…
5.35 MILES
The long, rectangular courtyard of the Itum Bahal is the largest bahal (Buddhist monastery courtyard) in the old town and remains a haven of tranquillity…
8.31 MILES
You should be able to see the sky-high rooftop of the Nyatapola Temple long before you reach Taumadhi Tole. With five storeys towering 30m above the…
5.88 MILES
The beautifully restored Swapna Bagaicha (Garden of Dreams) remains one of the most serene and beautiful enclaves in Kathmandu. It's two minutes' walk and…
Nearby Around the Kathmandu Valley attractions
0.02 MILES
Bungamati is the birthplace of Rato Machhendranath, the patron god of Patan, and for six months of the year the deity resides in the main village square …
0.03 MILES
On the narrow lane leading from the town's main square is this low-key, dusty museum displaying cultural objects from the area.
0.07 MILES
If you leave the main square by the northern gate, you’ll pass a crumbling Buddhist courtyard monastery and an assortment of chaityas and shrines, then…
0.17 MILES
Halfway between Bungamati and Khokana, this temple is dedicated to Ganesh. Local pilgrims flock here on Saturdays for a bhoj (feast) and some bhajan …
0.52 MILES
Dominating the small, main village square is this ochre-painted, triple-tiered temple with carved balconies covered by fretwork screens.
2.07 MILES
Built in 1602, Jal Binayak Temple is one of the valley’s most important Ganesh shrines. There was quite some damage from the 2015 earthquake and…
2.2 MILES
Manjushree Park is the result of a project to repair the damage created by a now-defunct cement factory, which scarred the landscape of Chobar Gorge,…
2.31 MILES
Set in a shady though litter-strewn woodland, this important Tantric temple was built in 1665 and it attracts lots of wedding parties, pilgrims and…