Inside the Kathmandu valley
Kathmandu:
Kathmandu the small mountain sheltered valley; the arrival and visit point for the visitors is the historical and architectural centerpoint of Nepal which was crowned with the title of "Capital City" after the great unification of Nepal in 1768 AD.
Nevertheless its small size it has got a bountiful treasure of spots listed in the World Heritage Sites. The three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur ( 3 districts of the Valley ) are renowned to the arena of tourism for being a masterpiece in art and architecture. The old carved houses , narrow lanes, frequently encountering ancient temples and moreover adorned by the rare and attracting cultures and festivals enlists Kathmandu as "a focal destination" for sightseeing.
The valley forwards itself to the panoramic views of the captivating Himalayas, sequestered jungles and also to the exotic hiking corners.
Kathmandu Durbar Square:
This one of the most popular tourist destination is enlisted in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of Wood) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and architecture of Nepal which has proved to be a masterpiece to everyone accepting its genuineness.
Pashupatinath (World Heritage Site):
Pashupatinath is one of the holiest Hindu shrines in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is built in the familiar Pagoda style. Chronicles indicate the temple’s existence prior to 400 A.D. This holy place is picturesque collection of temples and shrines. All the dying persons are brought to Pashupatinath for cremation. Only the Hindus are allowed to go inside.
Swayambhunath/Monkey temple (World Heritage Site):
The Swayambhu Stupa crowns a hillock to the west of Kathmandu .A massive white dome surrounded by a 13 stage spire, the stupa is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. It is said to be 2000 years old. Its origin is linked to the founding of the Kathmandu valley, draining the water out of the lake by Bodhisattva Manjushree.
Changunarayan (World Heritage Site):
The temple of Changunarayan is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings and is said to be the oldest pagoda style temple in the valley. The temple, built around the third century, is decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood and metal craft. The courtyard has many other temples such as that of Kiloswar, Shiva, Chhinnamasta Devi and other figures like Garuda and different images of Vishnu.
Budhanilkantha:
About 8 km north of Kathmandu, at the base of Shivapuri hill is a remarkable colossal statue of Lord Vishnu, reclining on the bed of snakes. This is one of the masterpieces of stone statue in the middle of small pond and seems to float in water.
Patan Durbar Square (World Heritage Site): It is an enchanting mélange of Palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. This square was the former Royal Palace complex which was the center of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze status and religious monuments.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square(World Heritage Site):
It is one of the third important historic cities in the Kathmandu valley. It lies 14 km. to the east of Kathmandu and covers an area of 4 sq miles. Its Durbar Square is a symphony of art and architecture belonging to medieval period. The center piece is the 55- window palace overlooking the Square which is paved over with bricks. Among other monuments around the Durbar Square are worth visiting
Kathmandu: Kathmandu the small mountain sheltered valley; the arrival and visit point for the visitors is the historical and architectural centerpoint of Nepal which was crowned with the title of "Capital City" after the great unification of Nepal in 1768 AD.
Nevertheless its small size it has got a bountiful treasure of spots listed in the World Heritage Sites. The three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur ( 3 districts of the Valley ) are renowned to the arena of tourism for being a masterpiece in art and architecture. The old carved houses , narrow lanes, frequently encountering ancient temples and moreover adorned by the rare and attracting cultures and festivals enlists Kathmandu as "a focal destination" for sightseeing.
The valley forwards itself to the panoramic views of the captivating Himalayas, sequestered jungles and also to the exotic hiking corners.
Kathmandu Durbar Square: This one of the most popular tourist destination is enlisted in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of Wood) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and architecture of Nepal which has proved to be a masterpiece to everyone accepting its genuineness.
Pashupatinath (World Heritage Site): Pashupatinath is one of the holiest Hindu shrines in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is built in the familiar Pagoda style. Chronicles indicate the temple’s existence prior to 400 A.D. This holy place is picturesque collection of temples and shrines. All the dying persons are brought to Pashupatinath for cremation. Only the Hindus are allowed to go inside.
Swayambhunath/Monkey temple (World Heritage Site): The Swayambhu Stupa crowns a hillock to the west of Kathmandu .A massive white dome surrounded by a 13 stage spire, the stupa is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. It is said to be 2000 years old. Its origin is linked to the founding of the Kathmandu valley, draining the water out of the lake by Bodhisattva Manjushree.
Boudhanath (World Heritage Site):
It is the world’s biggest stupa located about 8 kilometers from the city center. This colossal Stupa is known by the name of Boudhanath, the god of wisdom. It is difficult to assign a period to it, as some believe that it was built during the reign of either Shiva Dev or Anshu Verma in the 7th century A.D. Boudhanath attracts the Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world. Changunarayan (World Heritage Site): The temple of Changunarayan is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings and is said to be the oldest pagoda style temple in the valley. The temple, built around the third century, is decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood and metal craft. The courtyard has many other temples such as that of Kiloswar, Shiva, Chhinnamasta Devi and other figures like Garuda and different images of Vishnu.
Budhanilkantha: About 8 km north of Kathmandu, at the base of Shivapuri hill is a remarkable colossal statue of Lord Vishnu, reclining on the bed of snakes. This is one of the masterpieces of stone statue in the middle of small pond and seems to float in water.
Patan Durbar Square (World Heritage Site): It is an enchanting mélange of Palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. This square was the former Royal Palace complex which was the center of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze status and religious monuments. Bhaktapur Durbar Square(World Heritage Site): It is one of the third important historic cities in the Kathmandu valley. It lies 14 km. to the east of Kathmandu and covers an area of 4 sq miles. Its Durbar Square is a symphony of art and architecture belonging to medieval period. The center piece is the 55- window palace overlooking the Square which is paved over with bricks. Among other monuments around the Durbar Square are worth visiting
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