Cultural Heritage Sites in Nepal – Nepal is known for both its cultural and natural diversity. While having some of the tallest mountains in the World, there also are multiple cultural sites, including the Birthplace of Lord Buddha, which has a rich cultural and religious significance.
According to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, Nepal has two cultural and natural heritage sites.
Kathmandu Valley and Lumbini are two UNESCO Cultural Heritage Sites. Kathmandu Valley has seven sites, including Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares, two temples of Pasupathi and Changu Narayan, and two Buddhist Stupas of Bouddhanath and Swayambhu.
Let’s dig deeper to learn all about Cultural Heritage Sites in Nepal,
1. Kathmandu Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square, also known as Hanuman Dhoka Palace, is one of the three durbar squares in the Kathmandu Valley. The Durbar Square was the old royal palace of kings during the Malla and Shah era. The main palace was constructed in about the 15th century, and the rest of the buildings were added with time. It is a collection of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards, and other historical buildings that reflect the architectural skills of the Newar people of Kathmandu.
The Durbar Square area has about 50 temples, with the Taleju Bhawani having the most significance. It also has Kumari ghar, the Temple where people can worship the Living Goddess Kumari.
You can see monuments like Hanuman Dhoka Palace, Taleju Bhawani Temple, Nine-storey Basantapur Tower, Tribhuvan Museum, King Mahendra Memorial Museum, and the Kaal Bhairab Temple in the Kathmandu Durbar Square vicinity.
2. Patan Durbar Square
Patan Durbar Square is another old palace located in Lalitpur. There is also a belief that the town was named after King Yamaber, as Yala translated to Patan. You can also witness excellent Newari Architecture in Patan Durbar Square. A historical record also shows that some parts of Patan Durbar Square were built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE.
Back then, Kathmandu Valley was divided into three kingdoms, ruled by three different Malla kings. The old palace mainly belongs to the Malla King of Patan/Lalitpur. The Patan Durbar Square consists of historical monuments like Krishna Mandir, Golden Temple, Taleju Bhawani, and Vishnu Temple. Bhimsen Mandir, Hari Shankar Temple, Ganesh Mandir, Vishwanath Mandir, Shiva Mandir, Rato Machhendra Temple, and a stone name named Manga Hiti.
3. Bhaktapur Durbar Square
The third Durbar Square located in the Kathmandu Valley is the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square. Dattatreya Square and the Pottery Squares are the four squares that collectively form the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
The Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the best showcase of Nepali Architecture. It is known for its magnificent art and architectural monuments, notably the 55 Window Palace which is an excellent masterpiece of Woodcarving. You can also witness the Golden Gate, one of the great art pieces in Durbar Square. Almost all other monuments reflect excellent art and architecture, including Lions Gate, the Art Gallery, Nyatapole Temple, and the Statue of King Bhupatindra.
4. Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple is one of the world’s most sacred Hindu temples. The temple of Lord Shiva hosts a few hundred thousand Pilgrims every year, especially during the Maha Shiv Ratri, the largest festival celebrated to honor Lord Shiva. In addition, the temple attracts a huge number of people during festivals or holy occasions like Shivaratri and Teej.
The temple consists of the main temple, compounds surrounded by small other temples, sculptures, ashrams, and the holy Bagmati river flowing in the east. The main temple is only open to Hindus. It is free for everyone to get to Pashupatinath and observe it from outside or the hill just across the Bagmati River.
Pasupathi also gets crowded during the evening when the Arati takes place. Hundreds of people gather to watch and sing along to the Arati. So, if you are visiting Pashupatinath temple, make sure you stay till the evening to watch the Aarati as it is also one of the key highlights of the place.
5. Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple is said to be the oldest temple in Nepal. The temple and the shrine are dedicated to Lord Vishnu, located at the top of the Changu or Dolagiri hill. You can also find other sculptures in the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The stone inscriptions, the pillar built by Mandeva, and the temples, including the statues of Queen Bhuwan Lakshmi and her son Bhupatindra Malla have been recorded to be made as back as 464 AD. If you want to explore more about the rich history and culture of the Changu Narayan Temple. In that case, you can also visit the museum located there. You can visit the temple easily through any means of road transportation, located 14 kilometers east of Kathmandu towards Bhaktapur.
6. Swayambhunath Stupa
Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as Monkey Temple due to the vast population of monkeys, is one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal. The Stupa is situated on a top of a hill in Swayambhu. The sculptures and shrines in the vicinity even dates back to the Licchavi period, approximately 400 to 750 CE. The place is famous among Buddhists and Hindus, but it is open to people of all religions. It is one of the places in Nepal that reflects religious harmony as it contains Buddhist and Hindu idols. The main entrance to the Stupa has steep stairs, which are said to have 365 stairs leading up to the Stupa. Many people visit the temple to overlook the Kathmandu valley from the top of the Stupa, which gives a perfect view.
7. Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath Stupa is another Stupa on the list and the seventh Cultural Heritage Site from the Kathmandu valley. The Stupa is said to be a Buddhist counterpart of the Pashupatinath Temple. There are also records of the Bouddhanath Stupa being built by the Licchavi King Sivadeva back in the 5th Century C.E. The Stupa is one of the largest Buddhist Stupa in the world. The place has over 40 monasteries nearby, with the whole surrounding being populated by Buddhist settlements.
Many tourists and pilgrims visit the Stupa every day for their own reasons. The place gives a good vibe with the white dome, prayer flags, the smell of incense, chanting monks, spinning prayer wheels and flocks of pigeons. Like, Swayambhunath Stupa, Boudhanath is open to every religion, but the place is only dedicated to Buddhism.
8. Lumbini, Birthplace of Lord Buddha
Finally, coming out of the Kathmandu Valley, next up is Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. About 300 kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, located in the terai, Lumbini is a pilgrimage that holds rich history behind it.
When it comes to Nepal, most people know it as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The Maya Devi Temple in Lumbini is the exact place where Lord Buddha was born as Siddhartha Gautam. Lumbini is an important religious pilgrimage site for Buddhists as it is the birthplace of the founder of Buddhism. The most important landmark of Lumbini is the Mayadevi Temple, the exact spot of the Birth of Lord Buddha marked by a stone. Other essential landmarks in Lumbini include the Sacred Garden, an Ashoka pillar, a bodhi tree, an ancient sacred bathing pond nearby the temple and other ancient monasteries located within the historic site.
Wrapping it Up
We have listed the eight World Cultural Heritage Sites in Nepal. Other multiple cultural sites in Nepal carry different cultural and religious significance. Even if the other heritage sites don’t fall under the list, they are beautiful in their own way. Visiting them will help you get insights into Nepal’s rich history and culture. The eight listed Cultural Sites amaze and help you learn about Nepalese culture history and the magnificent architecture from ancient times.
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