Kathmandu Valley 🇳🇵 Nepal

The monumental zones represent the highly developed architectural expression of religious political and cultural life of Kathmandu valley with a concentration of monuments unique and unparalleled in the world. It's the principal center of settlement in the hill area of Nepal and one of the prime cultural nucleuses of the Himalayas. Pasupatinath is also Nepal's most renowned Hindu creation site. The Kathmandu valley is a high valley in the foothills of the Himalayas covering an area around 25 kilometers by 19 kilometers. The existing World Heritage property consists of seven ensembles within this valley. The buildings are mostly made of fired brick with mud mortar and timber structures. The roofs are covered with small overlapping terracotta tiles often decorated with gilded brass. The windows, doorways and roof struts have rich decorative carvings. Kathmandu, the capital, is the political, commercial and cultural hub of Nepal. It's an exotic and fascinating showcase of a very rich culture, art and tradition. The valley, roughly an oval bowl, is encircled by a range of green terraced hills and dotted by compact clusters of red tiled roofed houses. The city of Kathmandu is a melting pot for the nation's population not only today but also in past times which probably explains the rich cultural heritage of the city. Kathmandu, with its unique architectural heritage, palaces, temples and courtyards has inspired many writers, artists and poets both foreign and Nepalese. It boasts a unique symbiosis of Hinduism, Buddhism and Tantrism in its culture which is still as alive today as it was hundreds of years ago. The religious influence can be openly seen in the city. Most of the principal monuments are in Durbar Square built between the 12th and 18th centuries by the ancient Mala kings of Nepal. At the crossroads of the great civilisations of Asia there are seven ensembles including Hindu and Buddhist monuments as well as the three residential and palace areas of the royal cities of Kathmandu Patan and Bhaktapur and their surroundings. They illustrate Nepalese art at its height. Among the principal monuments are pilgrimage centres, temples, shrines, bathing sites and gardens. All sites of veneration for both religious groups. The Kathmandu valley has been the politically and culturally dominating part of Nepal for centuries. Its legendary and documented history is so interrelated that it's difficult to separate. A political establishment of the area is dated to the beginning of the Christian era, the Kirati period. This was followed by the Kichchavi dynasty from the 3rd to 9th centuries. Patan is believed to have expanded into a consolidated town by the end of the 7th century. The town of Kathmandu was established by a later Kichchavi king. The heritage of the Kathmandu valley is a unique testimony to the cultural traditions of the people who settled in this remote Himalayan valley over the past two millennia. The multi-ethnic inhabitants of the valley, referred to as the Nuars, have created a highly evolved cultural identity which is a unique fusion of mingled religious and socio-cultural influences from the surrounding regions. The coexistence and amalgamation of Hinduism and Buddhism with animist rituals and tantrism is unique. Furthermore, the socio-cultural development of the Nuars allowed the incorporation of diversity, thereby creating an urban society with highly developed craftsmanship and social structures. The seven ensembles of the Kathmandu valley reflect a fusion of these cultural traditions which entered the valley reaching their apogee from 1500 to 1800 AD. The simple yet beautiful Mahendreshwara temple was built by King Mahendra Malla and is dedicated to the Hindu lord Shiva in the form of Pashupati. A number of courtyards and temples are also built inside the complex of the square. They reflect the original pagoda and Nuar architectural style. All seven ensembles, which are considered UNESCO sites, have the roots of their history buried deep in the early legends of the Kathmandu valley. As Buddhism and Hinduism developed and changed over the centuries throughout Asia, Nepal profited from its unique position between Tibet, China and India. Both religions prospered in Nepal from the 5th century AD but their strongest creative contribution can be dated to the era from 1500 to 1800 AD. The Durbar Square complex, situated in the centre of Patan city, also known as Lalitpur, houses the residence of the former Patan royal family. Patan Square and its surroundings are good specimens of ancient Nuari architecture. The octagonal white stone Krishna temple sits on the west side of Patan's Durbar Square. This large bell is the Taledu bell. The three Durbar squares with their palaces, temples and public spaces constituted the core of the former royal cities of Kathmandu valley and are still the centre of daily life and the setting for century-old festivals. The importance of the religious centres is manifested in the community's daily rituals and major religious events which have uniquely survived within this region. This uniqueness is for example expressed in the culture of the Kumari, the living goddess. The outstanding universal value of the property is related to the artistic and aesthetic achievements in the religious monuments and royal cities and to the traditional Nepalese architecture which has become vulnerable due to irreversible change. The Garuda kneels with folded arms on top of the column which faces the Krishnamandir in Patan's Durbar Square. Standing out as a classical example of Nepalese stone architecture is the Grand Krishnamandir. Containing some 21 shrines, the Krishnamandir was constructed during the 1600s under the direction of King Siddhi Narsingh Malla. The Krishnamandir was built with the purpose of praising Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna. The King Yoga Narendra Malla column is topped by a golden statue of a kneeling King Malla and his queens on a lotus. Patan's golden temple is unassuming from the outside and majestic on the inside with stone gates produced by the Silakars whose descendants can still be seen working in the wood carving industry. The Mul Chowk and the Taledu temples stand in the central courtyard. At the centre of the courtyard stands the small gilded Bidyar temple. The entrance to the courtyard of the golden temple has many ornately carved multi-armed deities flanked by a pair of griffins. The large rectangular golden temple has three roofs and a copper gilded facade. The long metal strips coming down from the roof are supposed to provide a slide for the gods when they descend to answer prayers. On either side of the entrance in the courtyard of the temple there are two metal statues of elephants standing on tortoises. An enormous Vajra is flanked by prayer wheels just inside the entrance to the temple. On the four corners of the Swayambhu Chaitya at the golden temple are mystical lions. To the left is the main golden temple with the five Dayani Buddhas carved on the wall and wood carvings of many armed deities on the roof struts. The Kumbheshwar temple is a five-storey temple. The Pathan Museum displays the traditional sacred art of Nepal in an illustrious architectural setting. Its home is an old residential court of Pathan Darbar, one of the royal palaces of the former Malla kings of the Kathmandu valley. Its gilded door and window face one of the most beautiful squares in the world. The residential palace compound of Keshav Narayan Chowk, which houses the museum, dates from 1734, displacing a Buddhist monastery that's still remembered in an annual public rite on the palace doorstep. But both monastery and palace rest on far older foundations that may go back to the Licchavi period, from the 3rd to the 9th century. Darbar Square in Pathan, like its counterpart in Kathmandu, is an enchanting melange of palace buildings, artistic courtyards, and graceful pagoda temples. Listed as a World Heritage Site, the former royal palace complex is the centre of Pathan's religious and social life. Bhaktapur, or the City of Devotees, is situated at an altitude of 1,401 metres. The Vatsala Durga temple is in the centre. The large Teleju bell is another monument of the historic centre. The Shiva Kedarnath temple is an imposing monument. The royal palace is the other monument in the centre of the city. The Golden Gate, or Sandoka in Bhaktapur's Darbar Square, is actually made of brass, and is one of the most important pieces of art in the whole Kathmandu valley. The gate is the entrance to the main courtyard of the palace of 55 windows. The gate and palace were built by King Bupa Tindramala, but weren't completed until 1754. Bhaktapur is renowned worldwide for its elegant art, magnificent culture, and its indigenous lifestyle. The Vatsala Durga temple is one example. The barking bell was erected in front of the temple in 1721. For Bhaktapur and its tradition-loving locals, having monuments and culture alone isn't all. For them, preservation of mankind's shared glories is as important as the creation of new ones. Keeping this in mind, the Bhaktapur municipality has launched an ambitious campaign for the purpose. To this end, the local body has so far carried out massive restoration. The palace of 55 windows was constructed in 1427 by King Yakshemala, and renovated in the 17th century by King Bupa Tindramala. It's considered an architectural masterpiece, constructed from wood and brick. Its most significant feature is the balcony that's home to the famous 55 windows. This is a wood-carving feat that leaves visitors awestruck. Founded in the 12th century by King Anandamala, Bhaktapur was the capital city of the greater Mala kingdom until the 15th century, and was an independent kingdom from then until the 18th century. The 17th century Siddhi Lakshmi temple, or stone temple, features pairs of guardians on the steps. The large white Fazidega temple is dedicated to Shiva, and stands in the centre of the secondary part of Durbar Square. This small city still retains a medieval charm, and visitors are treated to numerous natural wonders. The ancient glory of the Mala rulers is reflected in Durbar Square, and pottery and weaving are their traditional industries. The Pagoda Temple, the temple of Nayatapola, was constructed in 702. Standing five storeys in height, it's the tallest pagoda in Nepal. Durbar Square can be found in the centre of Bhaktapur, and like Kathmandu, contains many beautiful temples, where the Nepalese people can go and pay homage to the many Hindu gods and goddesses. At one point the square was crowded with temples and statues, but with the 1934 earthquake, many of these ancient buildings were destroyed, and to this day have yet to be rebuilt. In comparison to the city of Patan, the Bhaktapur Durbar Square is bigger and more neatly laid out, but with many empty spaces where temples once stood. There are a few temples, shrines and monasteries in Nepal, which are definitely worth visiting. To start with, Swayambhunath Temple is probably one of the oldest temples you will ever come across. It's a most sacred and holy place, and the local people are especially proud of it. The mystical, magical and religious facets of Kathmandu valley cultures is well represented by the Swayambhunath Temple. Swayambhunath is also sometimes called the Monkey Temple, since numerous monkeys often swarm the area after nightfall, when worshippers have departed from the temple. The Swayambhunath Temple is visited by Hindus, Vajrayana Buddhists from Nepal and Tibet, and Newari Buddhists from Nepal, as well as a small number of tourists who come seeking spiritual enlightenment, or the opportunity to explore the Nepalese culture and religion further. The eyes of the Buddha look to four directions over the whitewashed stupa. Between the Buddha's eyes, the Nepalese number one is painted. The third eye above the two Buddha eyes symbolizes the wisdom of looking within. Around the stupa are temples, images of the various Buddhas and small shrines. According to legend, it all started near the dawning of time, when a Buddha planted a miraculous lotus in the lake, which once covered the Kathmandu valley. It was said that the lotus emitted a bright light, the light of enlightenment, and saints, sages and divinities travelled here to venerate it. After having a vision while meditating at Wutai Shan, Bodhisattva Manjushri flew to the lotus upon his blue lion. The primary approach to the temple is from the eastern side, where 365 ancient steps lead up the steep forested hillside. The base is about a 20-minute walk from the center of Kathmandu. This staircase is the only route pilgrims would consider, and is the most memorable way for any visitor to experience the stupa. Historical evidence gives proof that the temple was already a place of Buddhist pilgrimage by the 5th century. The staircase is presided over by three painted Buddha statues from the 17th century. The central buildings and decorations of Swayambhunath are rich with Buddhist symbolism. Rising from the tower is a spire made of 13 golden discs. The surrounding area is filled with chaitiyas, temples and icons. Small shrines filled with deities and prayer wheels can also be found. There's an ever-present sense of contemplation and worship. Swayambhunath stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu Valley. The most revered Tibetan Buddhist temple outside of Tibet is the Buddhanath temple. The 36-meter-high Buddhanath stupa near Kathmandu is the largest stupa in Nepal and one of the largest in the world. It's a religious center for Nepal's considerable population of Tibetans. It supposedly dates from the 5th century. With three square tiers surrounding the central circle of the dome, Buddhanath is built in the form of a mandala, a symbol of the universe that's often used in Buddhist meditations. The Buddhanath stupa is very similar to the Swayambhunath stupa, only it's bigger and enjoys better symmetry. According to legend related to the beginnings of Buddha, a woman asked her king to donate land to build a stupa. The king promised to give her an area of land that could be covered by the skin of one buffalo. The woman cut a buffalo's skin into thin strips and used them to circle a large area of land, which the king then had to grant her for the building of the stupa that's now known as Buddhanath. The stupa is also said to contain the remains of a sage. A pair of elephants and a kiln used to burn juniper welcomes you at the entrance to the stupa. Tamang Gompa and Guru Lakhang are the fairly new gompas to the north of the Buddhanath stupa. The entrance door, flanked by the four guardian kings, is on the top floor. Hundreds of devotees walk around the stupa in a clockwise circle performing kora or pilgrimage, spinning prayer wheels as they pass them to release prayers. Part of the reason why the Buddhanath stupa has become so popular is that it's situated on a trade route between Tibet and Nepal, and merchants often chose to rest here and offer prayers during their travels. During the 1950s, a number of Tibetan refugees settled at Buddhanath, forming a township around the shrine. The Pasupatinath temple is situated near the Bhagmati river. Pasupati is one of the many names of Shiva, the most revered god in the Hindu pantheon, this one meaning the lord of the animals. Supposedly, Shiva needed a holiday from Mount Kailash and chose the Kathmandu valley. The Pasupatinath temple is considered one of the most sacred and divine temples of Pasupati that one could ever go to. Above the entrance, situated on the south side, is a depiction of Shiva as Yogeshwara, lord of yogis. The exact origins of Pasupatinath are shrouded in legend and myths. There's apparently been an ancient shivite temple on the site, a temple devoted to Shiva, long before the present temple structure, which is said to date back to the era of King Bhupalendra Mala in the 17th century. Following a centuries-old tradition, priests in this temple come from South India and used to be recruited with the consent of the king of Nepal. With beautiful Mount Everest towering and the nearby Himalayas, Nepal seems like the perfect place to examine our role in the circle of life and our link to the heavenly cosmos. Many come here seeking spiritual enlightenment and some even claim that they found it. Others simply come here to explore other cultures and visiting temples, shrines and monasteries is very much a part of local culture, so these ancient religious edifices generally become popular tourist attractions.