KATHMANDU VALLEY
The Kathmandu Valley has an exotic setting. It is surrounded
by tier upon tier of green mountain walls above which tower
mighty snowcapped peaks. It consists of three main cities
of great historic and cultural interest Kathmandu, Lalitpur
(Patan) and Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon). The Kathmandu Valley covers
an area of 218 sq. miles. It is situated at 1336 m above
sea-level. From the air, the oval shaped Kathmandu Valley,
the hub of the Country looks like a large chess board with
the sacred river Bagmati and its tributary Bishnumati wending
their way to the south. Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal,
is named after Kasthamandap, an imposing pagoda near Hanuman
Dhoka Palace. The city was built in its present form by
Gunakama Dev in 723 A.D.
KATHMANDU:
Hanuman Dhoka (Durbar Square):
It is the historic seat of royalty. The Durbar square, with
its old temples and palaces, epitomizes the religious and
cultural life of the people. It is here that kings of Nepal
are crowned and their coronations solemnized. 
Interesting
things to see here are Taleju Temple built by King Mahendra
Malla in 1549 AD), Gigantic figure of Kal Bhairav, the God
of Destruction.) Basantapur Durbar or Nautalle Durbar, built
by King Prithvi Narayan Shah .Coronation Platform (Nasal
Chok) the Hall of Public Audience (Gaddi) Baithak) ,the
statue of King Pratap Malla ,the Big Bell .Big Drums, and
,the Jagannath Temple. There is also a temple of Pancha
Mukhi Hanuman inside the old palace. This is one of the
only two such structures in Nepal, the other is in Pashupatinath.
Opposite the entrance to the Hanuman Dhoka Palace stands
the Krishna Mandir. It is one of the few octagonal temples
in Nepal.
On the right hand corner, larger wooden lattice screen
hides an enormous glided face of Sweta Bhairav, a fascinating
masterpiece of popular art. The screen is removed only during
the Indra Jatra festival.
Just before entering the courtyard of Hanuman Dhoka Palace,
there is a temple of Shiva-Parvati, on the left. The deified
couple, carved in wood and beautifully painted, look graciously
down from the centre window of the upper balcony.
There are also Numismatic Museum and Tribhuvan Museum inside
the Hanuman Dhoka Palace building. Photography is prohibited
inside the museums. Both the museums remain closed on Tuesdays
and government holidays. A nominal fee is charged to enter
the courtyard of Hanuman Dhoka Palace where one can get
exposed to a visual feast of carvings and mouldings on the
nine storey pagoda of the palace. The main ceremonial umbrella
suspended above his head and wrapped in a scarlet cloak,
he squats on a stone plinth. The image of hanuman was kept
by King Pratap Malla.
Temple of Kumari (Kumari Ghar):
The temple or the residence of Living Goddess Kumari, is
situated in the vicinity of Hanuman Dhoka Palace. The building
has profusely carved wooden balconies and window screens.
It was built by Jaya Prakash Malla, the last Malla King
of Kathmandu. Though certain aspects of Kumari-worship and
her annual festival parade existed among the Nepalese in
the ancient times also, the chariot festival in the present
form was inaugurated by him in the mid-eighteenth century.
The non-Hindu visitors may enter the courtyard, but may
not go beyond that. The Kumari acknowledges their greetings
from her balcony window. Photography is prohibited.
Kumari, who is also known as the Virgin Goddess has got
some specialties, that she must be of the Newari Shakya
caste, a virgin with no body marks of injuries. When she
attend on puberty she is replaced by another Kumari.
Kasthamandap:
It lies near the temple of Kumari. It is said to have been
built by King Laxmi narshingha Malla in the beginning of
the sixteenth century. It is said to be constructed from
the wood of a single tree. Also known as Maru Sattal is
houses the beautiful images of four Vinayaks (Surya Vinayak,
Chandra Vinayak, Jal Vinak and Karna Vinayak) of the Kathmandu
Valley.
Machchhendra Nath Temple:
The temple of Sweta Machchhendra Nath is situated at Machchhendra
Bahal between Indra Chowk and Asan. It is a pagoda of considerable
artistic beauty. It has two-tiered bronze roof. The temple
is built in a courtyard full of votice stupas and statuaries.
It is surrounded by residential houses and busy shops. The
god within the shrine is Padmapani Avalokiteshwor, worshipped
by Hindus and Buddhists. This deity is also called Janmadyo
or Machchendra.
Akash Bhairav Temple:
It is a three-storey temple in the main market avenue, called
Indra Chowk. The image of Akash Bhairav is displayed outside
for a week during Indra Jatra, the festival of Indra - the
God of Rain.
Ashok Vinayak:
The small but a very important temple of Ashok Vinayak is
situated behind the Kasthamandap. It is also known as Kathmandu
Ganesh or Maru Ganesh.
Mahankalsthan:
On the western section of the Tundikhel is situated the
temple of Mahankal. This temple houses an ancient gigantic
image of Mahankal. This image of Mahankal is one of the
masterpieces of ancient Nepalese structure.
Dharahar & Sundhara:
It is a 59.29m. tower built by Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa
in 1832 AD. Dharahara is also known as Bhimsen Stambha.
Sundhara fountains with golden water spouts is situated
at the foot of Dharahara. Sundhara was also built by Bhimsen
Thapa.
Singha Durbar:
It is a grand imposing palace built on the neo-classical
style. Once the private residence of Rana Prime Ministers,
now it is the Secretariat of His Majesty's Government of
Nepal. Some years ago, major part of it except the facade
was destroyed by fire. All portions of it have already been
rebuilt.
Narayanhity Durbar:
It is the present Royal Palace. This inherited the name
from the temple of Narayan. A famous historic water spout
called Narayanhity is situated at the southern corner of
the Palace.
Budhanilkantha:
About eight kilometers north of Kathmandu, at the base of
Sivapuri hill is a remarkable, colossal statue of Lord Vishnu,
reclining on the bed of snakes. This is one of the masterpieces
of stone sculpture of Lichchhavi period. This fifth century
statue is in the middle of a small pond and seems to float
in water. It is a famous place of pilgrimage for Hindus.
Buses for Budhanilkantha are available at Ranipokhari.
Swayambhunath: 
This is one of the world's glorious Buddhist Chaityas. It
is said to be 2000 years old. The Chaitya which forms the
main structure is made of a solid hemisphere of brich and
clay supporting a lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle
of copper gift. Painted on the four-sides of the spire bases
are the all- seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. It is three kilometers
west of Kathmandu city, and is situated on a hillock about
77m above the level of the Valley. The hills ls is a mosaic
of small Chaityas and pagoda temple.
National Museum:
Located at Chhauni, two and half kilometers west of Kathmandu,
a twenty-five minute walk from Hanuman Dhoka, the National
Museum has a splendid collection of weapons, artifacts from
ancient, medieval and modern Nepal. Its archaeological and
historical displays are worth seeing. The museum is open
everyday except Tuesday and government holidays. Museum
Hours: Summer : 10:30 am - 4:30 pm (Feb. 13 to Nov. 16)
Winter : 10:30 am - 3:30 pm (Nov. 17 to Feb. 12) On Fridays
: 10:30 am - 2:30 pm round the year
Natural History Museum:
This Museum, the only of its kind in Nepal is situated three
kilometers west of Kathmandu city behind the famous Swayambhunath
hillock. Run under the Tribhuvan University this museum
has over 14,000 unique collection of butterflies, fish,
reptiles, birds, mammals, plants and a variety of fossils
collected within the country. Established in 1975, the museum
provides detailed information to the tourists about nature
observations, study of high altitude birds, alpine flora
and fauna, etc. It is open during the office hours every
day except Saturdays and government holidays. Entrance is
free. Photography inside the museum is strictly prohibited.
Pashupatinath Temple:
Situated five kilometers east of Kathmandu on the bank of
sacred Bagmati river, the temple of Lord Shiva-Pashupatinath
with two-tiered golden roof and silver doors is famous for
its superb architecture. It is a centre of annual pilgrimage
on the day of Maha-Sivarati. Entrance to the temple precinct
is permitted to the Hindus only however, visitors can clearly
see the temple and the activities performed in the temple
premises from the eastern bank of the Bagmati river. Bus,
minibus, tempos and taxi for Pashupatinath temple are available
at Ratna Park.
Guheswari Temple:
Near Pashupatinath is located another historic and holy
temple of Guheshwari. This is a shrine of Goddess Sati (Parvati);
Lord Shiva's consort. But the temple of Guheshwari houses
no image of any goddess. Only Hindus are allowed to enter
the temple courtyard.
Chabahil:
The lovely Stupa of Chabahil is built by the side of road
to Bouddhanath. This Stupa is older than Bouddhanath and
built by Charumati, the daughter of the Indian Emperor Ashoka,
in the third century BC after her marriage with a local
prince called Devapala. That is why Chabahil is also known
as Devapatan. There are some ancient statues around the
Stupa.
Chandra Vinayak:
The temple of Chandra Vinayak is situated about 200m west
of Chbahil Stupa. This double tiered brass roofed temple
houses a tiny image of Lord Ganesh. Chandra Vinayak is one
of the four Vinayaks of Kathmandu Valley. The other three
are Jal Vinayak of Chovar, Surya Vinayak of Bhaktapur and
Karya Vinayak of Bungmati (Patan).
Bouddhanath:
The Stupa of Bouddhanath lies eight kilometers east of Kathmandu.
This colossal and ancient Stupa, one of the biggest in the
world, has the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. It was built
by Lichchhavi King Ma na Dev in the fifth century AD. It
is built on an octagonal base inset with prayer wheels.
Ratna Park and Shahid gate are the main bus stops for Bouddhanath.
Gokarna:
This lovely Royal Game Sanctuary, also known as Gokarna
Safari Park, lies about ten kilometers northeast of Kathmandu.
It is situated on the bank of the river Bagmati. Many wild
animals such as spotted deer can be viewed in the sanctuary
at the gate or by arrangement with a travel agency. On the
northern side of Gokarna, on the way to Sundarijal, is a
pagoda of Gokarneshwor Mahadev which stands on one side
of the Bagmati gorge.
Sankhu:
It is a typical Newari town, with many fine old buildings
and temples. Beyond the village, up a long flight of stone
stairs, is Bajra Jogini, an historical temple with a beautiful
view of the local area.
Sundarijal:
It is famous for its scenic beauty. There are magnificent
waterfalls, cataracts and rock formations. It is an ideal
place for picnic, requiring a short walk after the motorable
road.
Kirtipur:
It is a small town, eight kilometers southwest of Kathmandu
on the top of a hill. Tribhuvan University is located at
the foot of the hill. This historic town has many things
to offer like old shrines and temples, old houses, the people
typically dressed in old traditional costumes, people working
on ancient loom, etc. Regular buses and minibuses for Kirtipur
depart from Ratna Park.
Chobhar:
It is situated nine kilometers southwest of Kathmandu. This
place is famous for i is top one can have a completed view
of snow-capped mountain peaks. Just beyond the Chobhar gorge,
there is a temple of Jal Vinayak. The main image of the
shrine is on a massive rock. It extends outside the temple
on the back, only a small part in front vaguely resembles
an elephant tusk. The image of Jal Vinayak is different
from other images of Lord Ganesh.
Shekha Narayan:
The picturesque shrine of Shekha Narayan stands on a hillock
beneath a stalactite rock. Situated between Chobhar and
Dakshinkali the temple of Shekha Narayan represents one
of the four Narayans of the Kathmandu Valley. The other
three Narayans are Changu Narayan of Bhaktapur, Visankhu
Narayan of Patan and Ichangu Narayan of kathmandu. There
are ponds with fishes at the base of Shekha Narayan.
Dakshinkali:
The temple of Dakshinkali is situated about two kilometers
south of Shakha Narayan. Dakshinkali is one of the very
important places of pilgrimage regarding Hindu goddesses,
which dates back to time immemorial. Pilgrims visit this
temple to offer their prayers and animal sacrifices to the
goddess. Apart from the religious performance, this place
has also been developed as a popular picnic spot.
Kakani:
This place, 1982m. above sea-level and located 29 kilometers
northwest of the Kathmandu city, is famous for the magnificent
view of the Valley. It overlooks the northwestern Himalayan
ranges against the vastness of the blue sky. The fabulous
holiday area of Kakani features attractions ranging from
beautiful alpine scenery to the magnificent Himalayan panorama
particularly of the Ganesh Kakani are Gaurishanker (7,1234m),
Choba Bhamre (6,016m), Manaslu (8,463m ), Himalchuli (7,893m),
Annapurna (8,091 m) and several other peaks. One should
not also miss to watch the majestic view of sunset that
Kakani offers.
A trip to Kakani along the beautiful mountain highway,
Trishuli Road, is scenically rewarding with green forest
and mountain cultivation on the other. The road to Kakani
begins at Thamel and terminates at Kaule from where the
road Kakani bifurcates. The vehicles can go right upto the
top of Kakani. It takes about one and half hour to reach
Kakani by car from Kathmandu. There are frequent bus and
other vehicle services from Thamel to Kaule.
LALITPUR (Patan):
This ancient city of Patan is situated on
the southern bank of the river Bagmati and is about five
kilometers southeast of Kathmandu. The city is full of Hindu
temples and Buddhist monuments with bronze gateways, guardian
deities and wonderful carvings. Noted for its craftsmen
and metal workers, it is known as the city of artists. The
major tourist attractions of Patan are:
Durbar Square:
Patan Durbar Square,
situated in the heart of the city constitutes the focus
of visitor's attraction. The square is full of ancient palaces,
temples and shrines noted for their exquisite carvings.
One can rummage for treasures in the various shops around
the square.
The main attraction of Patan Durbar Square is the ancient
Royal Palace itself. It consists of three main chowks or
courtyards, the central Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Min
Keshab Narayan Chowk. In the north eastern corner of the
courtyard is the triple rotted octagonal tower of Taleju
Bhawani Temple built by King Shree Niwas Malla in 1667.
The Sundari Chowk holds in its centre a masterpiece of stone
architecture, the Royal bath called Tushahity. Between the
central Mul Chowk and Main Keshab Narayan Chowk there is
a temple of Degu Taleju.
Krishna Mandir:
Built in the seventeenth century by King Siddhi Narsingh
Malla, the temple of Lord Krishna holds a commanding position
in the palace complex of Patan. It is supposed to be the
first specimen of Shikhara style architecture in Nepal.
It is the only temple in Nepal having 21 shrines and is
completely made of stone. Most of the important scenes from
the ancient Hindu epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,
have been engraved on its friezes.
Mahabouddha:
A little further from Patan Durbar Square lies this Buddhist
temple made of clay bricks in which thousands of images
of Lord Buddha are engraved. The Terracotta structure is
one of the fourteenth century Nepalese architectural masterpieces.
It was constructed by an architect named Avay Raj.
Hiranya Varna Mahavihar:
This three storey golden pagoda of Lokeshwor (Lord Buddha)
was built in the twelfth century by King Bhaskar Verma.
It is located in the courtyard of Kwabahal. Inside the upper
storey of the pagoda, placed on the pedestal, are the golden
image of Lord Buddha and a large prayer wheel. There are
a wealth of gem like carvings on its walls and a complete
life of Buddha in gold relief.
Jagatnarayan Temple:
It is a tall, imposing temple of Lord Bishnu in red brick.
Situated on the back of Bagmati river (Sankhamul), the temple
has many fine images of stone and an artistic metal statue
of Garuda on a stone pillar.
Rudra Barna Mahavihar:
This unique Buddhist monastery contains fine and amazing
collection of images and statues in metal, stone and wood.
Kings in the ancient times were crowned in this monastery.
Many of the treasures offered by the devotees can be seen
here even today.
The Ashokan Stupas:
There are four ancient stupas, popularly believed to have
been built in 250 B.C. by Emperor Ashoka at the four corners
of Patan. The four stupas are situated in Pulchowk, Lagankhel,
Ebahi (way to Sankhamul), and in Teta (way to Sano Gaon)
respectively. These stupa given evidence to the city's ancient
religious importance.
Accheshwor Mahavihar:
It was established towards the beginning of the seventeenth
century by one Accheshwor by building a temple to house
an idol of Lord Buddha. The Mahavihar has recently been
reconstructed. It has 30 rooms including a monastery. "Dhyankuti"research
area, training area, library, review rooms and guest rooms.
Situated behind the Ashokan Stupa at Pulchowk, the Mahavihar
commands a beautiful view of the Kathmandu Valley.
Temples of Machchendra Nath and Min Nath:
The pagoda of Red Machchendra Nath, built in 1408 A.D. is
situated in Tabahal. Re Machchendra Nath, also known as
Avalokisteshwor and Adinath Lokeshwor is housed here for
six months. For the rest six months the idol is taken to
its shrine in Bungmati. The temple of Min Nath is situated
in Tengal, on way to Tabahal. The temple of Min Nath is
supposed to be older than the temple of Red Machchendra
Nath.
The Jawalakhel Zoo:
The Zoo is situated at Jawalakhel. Here are many animals,
birds and reptiles, mostly representing the Himalayan fauna.
It is the only zoo in Nepal. There is a beautiful pond inside
it built by King Siddhi Narshing Malla. It is open daily
from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Tibetan Centre, Jawalakhel:
It is extremely interesting place where one can see the
spinning, dying and weaving of Tibetan carpets. This centre
has also a well-stocked show room.
Patan Industrial Estate:
Patan Industrial Estate is situated at Langankhel in Lalitpur
District near Sat Dobato. This Industrial Estate is well
known for Nepali handicrafts such as wood carving, metal
crafts, carpets, thangka paintings and the likes. It is
very interesting to see how these goods are made in the
different workshops. For the convenience of the tourists,
there is a Shopping Arcade within the premises of this Industrial
Estate. Almost all handicraft products of the Estate are
exhibited in the Shopping Arcade.
Bajara Barahi:
Situated in a small woodland park, it is about ten kilometers
south of Patan near the village of Chapagaon. A visit to
Tika Bhairav and Lele from here is worthwhile. Buses for
Bajra Barahi are available at Lagankhel.
Godavari:
Situated at the foothill of Phulchowki this place has a
splendid natural beauty. The road from Patan City runs to
Godavari to the southeast, passing through the small, old
towns of Harisiddhi, Tahiba and Badegaon. One of the holy
place in Nepal, it is also a good picnic spot amid dense
forest. It is the only Royal Botanical Garden in Nepal.
Fish hatchery and a marble quarry also are located here.
It is open daily including Saturdays and government holidays.
Buses for Godavari are available at Lagankhel.
Phulchowki:
Located around ten kilometers southeast of Patan, this mount,
2758m high, is good spot for hiking. Rhododendrons of different
varieties and colours from pure white to dark red are found
here. A Buddhist shrine is situated on the top of the hill
which can be reached through a jeepable road.
BHAKTAPUR (Bhadgaon):
Bhaktapur, situated at an altitude of 1401m,
is a home of medieval art and architecture. The urban city
covers an area of 4 square miles. Shaped like a conch-shell,
Bhaktapur means the city of devotees. Pottery and weaving
are its traditional industries. The city lies about 14 kilometers
east of Kathmandu and can be reached by public transport
and by trolley buses. The major sightseeing places in Bhaktapur
include:
Durbar Square:
The main square of the city contains innumerable temples
and other architectural showpieces like the Lion Gate, the
Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Picture Gallery, the
Golden Gate, the Palace of 55 Windows, the Batsala Temple
and the Bell of Barking Dogs, the replica of Pashupatinath
Temple, etc.
The Lion Gate which was built 
during
the reign of King Bhupatindra Malla is adorned with the
lovely stone figures of Hanuman, Bhairav and Narasingh Narayan.
The statue of Malla King in the act of worship is placed
on a column facing the palace. Of the many statues available
in Nepal this is considered to be the most magnificent.
The Picture-Gallery contains ancient paintings belonging
to Hindu and Buddhist schools of Tantrism of various periods
and descriptions.
The Golden Gate has Kali and Garuda, the winged carrier
of Lord Vishnu and is attended by two sky nymphs. This gate
is embellished with monsters of marvellous intricacy.
The Palace of 55 Windows was built in the seventeenth century
by King Bhupatindra Malla. Among the brick walls, with their
gracious setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of
55 windows. This balcony is a masterpiece of wood carving.
The stone temple of Batsala Devi which is also located
in the Durbar Square is full of intricate carvings. This
temple also sets a beautiful example of Shikhara style of
architecture in Nepal. There is a bronze bell on the terrace
of the temple which is also known as the "bell of barking
dogs". When it peals, the local dogs start barking.
This colossal bell, placed in 1737 A.D. by King Rankit Malla,
was used to sound curfew during his reign. The bell is rung
every morning while worshipping Goddess Taleju.
Nyatapola Temple:
This five-storey pagoda was built in 1702 A.D. by King Bhupatindra
Malla. It stands on a five-terraced platform. On each of
the terraces squat a pair of figures: two famous wrestlers,
two elephants, two lions, two griffins and Baghini and Singhini
- the tiger and the lion goddesses. Each pair of figures
is considered ten times stronger than the ones immediately
below, while the lowest pair of the strong men, Jaya Malla
and Phatta Malla, were reputedly ten times stronger than
any other men. This is one of the tallest pagodas and is
famous for its massive structure and subtle workmanship.
The temple was built for Goddess Laxmi.
Bhairavnath Temple:
This temple was first built as a one-storey pagoda during
the reign of King Jagat Jyoti Malla, and later changed into
a three-storey temple in 1718 A.D. by King Bhupatindra Malla.
The temple is noted for its artistic grandeur. It is dedicated
to Lord Bhairav - the god of Terror.
Dattatraya Temple:
This temple is said to have been built from the trunk of
a single tree. It was built in 1427 A.D. during the reign
of King Yakchhya Malla and repaired in 1458 A.D. by King
Bishwa Malla.
Pujari Math: (Near the Dattatraya Temple)
Temple is a monastery with exquisitely carved peacock windows.
This Monastery was built by King Yakchhya Malla and later
renovated by the then priest Ram Duti Giri.
Surya Vinayak:
It is a shrine of Ganesh, the elephant headed God, situated
in a beautiful surrounding of Bhadgaon, placed in a sylvan
setting to catch the first rays of the rising sun. The view
of the city of Bhaktapur is seen from here with snow peaks
in the background. Nestling in a thick forest, it is a good
picnic spot flanked by many attractive landscapes. It is
easily accessible by trolley bus.
Changu Narayan:
Situated at the end of the long ridge which runs well into
the Valley, it is said to have been built in 323 A.D. by
King Hari Dutta Varma. The temple is richly decorated with
sculptures and carvings. It is said to be the oldest temple
in the Valley. It is situated about 153m above the level
of the Kathmandu Valley and affords a beautiful view of
the surrounding countryside. An all-weather motorable road
connects it with Bhaktapur city.
Nagarkot:
Nagarkot is a popular tourist resort of Nepal. It is situated
32 kilometers east of Kathmandu at an altitude of 2,175m
above sea-level. The panorama of the major peaks of eastern
Nepal Himalayas including Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), can
be seen from here. Himalayan peaks like Manaslu (8,463m),
Ganesh Himal (7,111m), Langtang (7,246m), Choba Bhamre (6,016m),
Gaurishanker (7,134m) and Numbur (6,957m) are also clearly
seen from Nagarkot. A motorable road links Nagarkot with
Bhaktapur.
