Places in Around the Kathmandu valley

1. Pashupatinath Temple

Nepal’s most important oldest sacred Hindu temple is a famous which located on the banks of the Bagmati River 5 kilometres north-east of Kathmandu Valley in the eastern city of Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The temple was erected a new in the 15th century by Lichhavi King Shupuspa after the previous building had been consumed by termites. Countless further temples have been erected around this two -storied temple. These include the Vaishnav temple complex with a Ram temple from the 14th century and the Guhyeshwari Temple mentioned in an 11th-century manuscript. The area of Pashupatinath encompasses 264 hectare of land including 518 temples and monuments. Main pagoda style temple is located in the fortified courtyard and in front of the western door there is a huge statue Nandi bull, in bronze. Along with many temples and shrines of both Vaishnav and saiva tradition.

 Temples and Shrines in the inner courtyard

– Vasuki nath temple

– Unmatta Bhairav temple

– Surya narayan temple

– Kirti mukh bhairav shrine

– Budanil kantha shrine

– Hanuman shrine

– 184 shivaling shrine

Temples and Shrines in the outer complex

– Ram mandir

– Virat swaroop temple

– 12 jyotirlingha and Pandra Shivalaya

– Guhyeshwari Temple

2. Boudhnath Stupa

Boudhnath Stupa is one of the Asia’s largest spherical stupa pulses which is located about 11 km (6.8 mi) from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu, the stupa’s massive mandala.

The Gopalarajavamsavali (Gopu) says Boudhanath was founded by the Nepalese Licchavi king Sivadeva (c. 590-604 CE); though other Nepalese chronicles date it to the reign of King Manadeva (464-505 CE). Tibetan sources claim a mound on the site was excavated in the late 15th or early 16th century and the bones of king A?shuvarma 605-621 were discovered there. However, the Tibetan emperor, Trisong Detsän (r. 755 to 797) is also traditionally associated with the construction of the Boudhanath Stupa.Yolmo Ngagchang Sakya Zangpo from Helambu resurrected Boudhanath. This Bauddha stupa was built just after the demise of Lord Buddha and is largest single Chhorten in the world. Many Kilograms of gold were used in the decoration of the holy building. “The village that surrounds the great Kalyapa stupa is generally known by the name of Bauddha. …which in Tibetan is called Yambu Chorten Chenpo (Tibetan: Wylie – yam bu’i mchod rten chenpo). Yambu is the general name by which Kathmandu is known in Tibet; and Chorten Chenpo means great stupa.

3. Nagarkot

Nagarkot is a village as the top spot for enjoying sunrise view of the Himalayas including Mount Everest as well as other peaks of the Himalayan range of eastern Nepal. It is located approximately 7000 ft (2000 m) above sea level and 28 km from Kathmandu International Airport.

Nagarkot is packed with hotels, stacked up on a ridge facing one of the broadest possible views of the Himalaya and best place to hiking route for tourist with beautiful scene of nature. Tourist and visitor can easily enjoy 8 Himalayan ranges of Nepal out of 13 from hotel balcony likewise  Annapurna range, Manaslu range, Ganesh himal range, Langtang range, Jugal range, Rolwaling range, Mahalangur range (Everest range) and Numbur range with views of the Kathmandu valley and Shivapuri National Park.

4. Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu Durbar Square is  UNESCO World Heritage Sites which is a must seen and hard to miss location in the heart of the capital city. It also known as Hanuman Dhoka square is one of the major attractions in Kathmandu Valley and surrounded by full of ancient Newari architecture, high temples, popular shrines and the old royal palace.

In the time of Pratap Malla, son of Laksminar Simha, the square was extensively developed. He was an intellectual, a pious devotee, and especially interested in arts. The oldest temples were built in 1560-1574 by Mahendra Malla (king) though the oldest palaces date back to the 3rd century. Most of them are built in the pagoda style embellished with intricately carved exteriors as well as Most of the buildings we see here date from 15th to 18th century . The Durbar Square, with its old temples, palaces, epitomizes the religious and cultural life of the people.

The major Interesting things to see here are

– Kumari (The Living Goddess) Gar

– Kastha Mandap

– Maru Ganesh

– Mahadev Temple

– Shiva Parvati Temple

– Bhagwati Temple

– Old Royal Durbar Palace

– Saraswoti temple

– Krishna Octangular Temple

– Big drums

– Big Bell

– Kal Bhairav

– Jagannath Temple

– Taleju Temple etc..

5. Patan Durbar Square

Patan Durbar Square is UNESCO World Heritage Sites which describes Newari architecture that had reached its pinnacle during the reign of Malla kings who were great builders and patrons of the arts. It is located in the south-central part of Kathmandu Valley on the south side of the Bagmati River, which separates it from the city of Kathmandu on the northern and western side.

The history of Patan Durbar Square is not clearly described. Although the Malla Kings of Lalitpur are given credit for establishing the royal square and the Pradhanas ruler who settled around the site before the Mallas have connections with the Durbar Square. It is also known as Manigal and rich cultural heritage, particularly its tradition of arts and crafts as well as city of festival and feast, fine ancient art, making of metallic and stone carving statue.

The major Interesting things to see here are

– Krisnhna Mandir

– Mahabouddha

– Kwa Bahal “Golden Temple”

– Kumbeshwor

– The Ashokan Stupas

– Achheswor Mahavihar

– Temple of Machhendranath and Minnath

– Bungamati

– Rato Machhendranath Temple

– Surya Binayak Temple

– Golden Window

– Hiranya Varna Mahavihar

– Mahabouddha Temple

6. Bhaktpur Durbar Square

Bhaktpur Durbar Square is UNESCO World Heritage Sites and another important Royal Palace in Kathmandu valley which located in 15 km east of Kathmandu. It also known as Bhadgaon and Khwopa during Malla period. It is the least developed than Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Square and palace sorrounded of medieval art & architecture with many examples of sculpture, woodcarving & colossal pagoda temples consecrated to different gods & goddesses.

The Palace of Fifty-five Windows was built during the reign of King Yaksha Malla in 1427 AD and was remodeled by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century. Among the brick walls, with their gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of fifty-five windows, considered to be a unique masterpiece of woodcarving.

The major Interesting things to see here are

– 55 window palace

– Golden Gate

– Lion’s Gate

– Nyatapola Temple

– Bhairava Nath Temple

– Mini Pashupati Temple

– Batsala Temple

– Erotic elephants temple

– Ugrachandi and Ugrabhairab

– Rameshwar Temple

– Badrinath Temple

– Gopi Nath Temple

– Kedarnath Temple

– Hanuman Statue

– Vatsala Devi Temple

7. Swayambhunath Stupa

Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines which is located at top of hill with golden spire crowning a conical wooded hill in the west of Kathmandu city. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spire are visible for many miles and from all sides of the valley. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple as there are holy monkeys living in the north-west parts of the temple. The surroundings of Swyambhunarayan Stupa consists of chaityas, temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious objects.

The area surrounding the stupa is filled with chaityas, temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious objects. There are many small shrines with statues of Tantric and shamanistic deities, prayer wheels for the Tibetan Buddhists, Shiva lingams (now disguised as Buddhist chaityas and decorated with the faces of the the Dhyani Buddhas), and a popular Hindu temple dedicated to Harati, the Goddess of smallpox and other epidemics.The presence of the Harati Devi temple signifies the intermingling of the pantheons of Hinduism and Buddhism in the development of the religious trends of Nepal. As Buddhists had no deity in their own pantheon to protect against the dreaded smallpox, they adopted the Hindu deity for assistance.

Syambunath Stupa’s hill is another fascinating, though less visited temple, Shantipur, popularly known as the ‘Palace of Peace’. It is said that inside the secret underground chamber of the temple lives the 8th century Tantric master, Shantikar Acharya. The master, it is believed, has lived through centuries and has full control on the weather and the King of Kathmandu must go to him in times of drought. Amazing to look at, the architectural beauty of Swayambunath Stupa gives way to the feelings of reverence and adoration. The stupa consists of a dome at the base and a cubical structure with eyes of Buddha looking in all the four directions. There are pentagonal Toran present above each of the four sides with statues engraved in them.

8. Narayanhiti Palace Museum

Narayanhiti Palace Museum is the former royal palace in the centre of the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.  “Narayanhiti” is made up of two words ‘narayan’ and ‘hiti’. ‘Naryan’ is a form of Hindu god “Lord Vishnu” whose temple is located opposite to the palace and ‘hiti’ means “water spout” which is also located to the east of main entrance in the precincts of the palace, and which has a legend associated with it.

Narayanhiti Palace Museum stands on an area of 40820 sq feet and it has three wings: The guest wing, the state wing and the private wing each consisiting of approximately 30 rooms. Nepal has 14 zones and 75 districts. Every rooms are named after the districts. Among them only 19 rooms rooms from all the state wings are open to the public visitors. While the main doors are nammed after the mountains of Nepal. Like the front door is named after Gauri Shanker Mountain. One can find other doors named as Sagarmatha (The Mount Everest), Mount Annapurna, Ganesh Himal, Dhaulagiri Himal, etc.

During the early Shah period, the site of the future Narayanhiti Palace was occupied by Dhokal singh Bashnet’s house. Ownership of the site changed hands many times; after Dhokal singh Bashnet the site was occupied by Chautariya Fateh Jung Shah ( 6thPrime Minister of Nepal ), his father courtier Choutaria Pran Shah and family. During Kot massacre of 19 September 1846 both Prime Minister Chautariya Fateh Jang Shah along with his father Choutaria Pran Shah and brothers were killed or send in exile out of Kathmandu. After this massacre Narayanhiti Palace was taken over by Jung Bahadur Rana’s brother future Prime Minister then colonel Ranodip Singh Kunwar. Colonel Ranodip Singh ordered minor renovation of the old palace of Choutaria Pran Shah and used it as his private residence. After ascending the throne of Prime Minister Maharaja in 1877, Narayanhit Durbar was again renovated, but this time much lavish and was extended into multi-wing palace. On 22 November 1885 during a coup d’état Prime Minister Maharaja Ranodip Singh Kunwar was assassinated by his nephews,The Sumsher brothers ( Khadga Shumsher, Chandra Shumsher, and Dumber Shumsher ) somewhere in the southern wing of this palace.

It was here that, in June 2001, King Birendra, Queen Aiswarya and six other royals were shot dead by Crown Prince Dipendra before Dipendra turned his weapon on himself; the apparent motive was revenge, after the King and Queen refused to approve the Prince’s marriage intentions. The locations where Prince Dipendra massacred his family in 2001 are rather morbidly marked, though the actual building was rather suspiciously levelled after the crime. Bullet holes are still visible on some of the walls. Just as interesting as the building are the locals’ reactions to it, as they peek at a regal lifestyle that for centuries they could only have dreamed about. Cameras and bags are not allowed inside the complex.