World Heritage Sites

Of the many sites in Nepal, UNESCO has incorporated ten of them into the list of World Heritage Sites. The list includes both natural as well as cultural sites. Of the eight cultural heritage sites, seven of them, which glorify the Kathmandu Valley, are within the distance of 20 kilometres. Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath Stupa, Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa, Changu Narayan Temple are within the valley whereas the birth place of Lord Buddha, Lumbini is the only cultural Heritage site outside the valley. Everest (Sagarmatha) National Park and Chitwan National Park are the two natural heritage sites.

Kathmandu Durbar Square: The seat of royalty till the last century, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a wondrous cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards and streets. The most noteworthy among them are the Hanumandhoka palace complex, Kumari Dyochhen and the Taleju temple. Even to date, all major state and social ceremonies, including the solemnization of coronations, are carried out in one or the other courtyards within this complex. The royal enclave presently houses three museums. The monuments in and around the area are so charming that each appears more wondrous than the one next to it.

Patan Durbar Square: Nowhere else can be seen such a compression of marvellous monuments within a limited space like in the Patan Durbar Square. Besides the old royal palace, what dominates all others in grace and grandeur in this complex is the 17th-century Krishna Mandir. Entirely made of stone, this shikhara-style structure with 21 pinnacles is dedicated to Lord Krishna, a saviour deity in Hindu pantheon, and it is equally noted for rare stone carvings on its walls, which depict various episodes of the epic wars of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Other landmarks within the Square are Tusha-hity (water spout), Sundari Chowk, Taleju Temple and the Keshav Narayan Chowk. The Hiranyavarna Mahavihar (Golden temple), Rudravarna Mahavihar and the terra-cotta temple of Mahabouddha are other highlights in the vicinity.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Of the Valley's three Durbar Squares, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the best preserved one. Still emanating the medieval aura, this splendid palatial complex has its gems in such artistic masterpieces as the 55-Windows Palace, the Golden Gate, Golden Spout, the Taleju temple complex and Nyataponla-the Five-Storied temple -in the nearby Taumadhi Square. The 15th-century Dattatreya temple and the world famous Peacock Window at Tachapal, the terra-cotta windows at Tahamala and Nepal's largest Shiva Lingum at Hanumanghat are also there to keep visitors spellbound.

Changu Narayan Temple: Seated atop a serene hilltop some six km north of Bhaktapur, the Changu Narayan temple, which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu the Preserver, boasts of being the oldest pagoda in Nepal. Moreover, it in its brick-paved premises houses a stone inscription which, dated 424 AD, is believed to be the oldest of all such written records. While the two-storied temple's main entrance is an excellent example of repousse metal art, the many art-works scattered in and around the enclave embody ancient craftsmen's flawless proficiency in wood, stone and metal.

Swayambhunath Stupa: One of the world's oldest Buddhist shrines, the stupa graces a hilltop, 77 meters above the Valley bottom. Situated six km to the west of the city-center, this huge dome-like structure is surmounted by 13 gilded rings representing 13 Heavens and an elaborate canopy.

Pashupatinath temple: One of the most sacred Hindu shrines in the world, Pashupatinath lies five km northeast of Kathmandu. The two-storied pagoda houses a sacred lingum, or the phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. Although the temple dates back to the 4th century, it was brought into its present shape in the early 18th century. The temple is most noted for its gold-plated roofs and silver-coated doors.

Lumbini: Lumbini is the hallowed birthplace of Lord Buddha-the Apostle of Peace. The Enlightened One was born here over 2,500 years ago. The objects worth seeing here are the scattered ruins dating back to the days of the Buddha. The remains of historic palaces, monasteries, temples and above all, a stone kept by India's great King Ashoka to pinpoint the exact birthplace of the Buddha are here to take you back by ages. Many countries including China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Mya nmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the USA and Vietnam have built monasteries and stupas in the area. Lumbini is a recent addition in the roster of Nepal's World Heritage sites.

Bouddhanath Stupa: Also known by Khasti, Bouddhanath Stupa is one of the world's largest stupas. The unique aspect of this great Buddhist monument is that it is set in the octagonal Mandala design. Hundreds of prayer wheels and the 108 images of the Buddha set into the niches around this huge structure makes it even more mesmerizing. Another notable aspect of the area is the presence of about four dozen monasteries around it. Bouddha lies some six km to the east of the city center.

Royal Chitwan National Park: Royal Chitwan National Park (932 sq km) covers a pristine area with a unique ecosystem of significant value to the world, containing the Churiya hills, ox-bow lakes and flood plains. Approximately 70% of the park vegetation is forest. The remaining vegetation types inc lude grassland, riverine forest, and pine forest. There are more than 43 species of mammals in the park. It is highly noted for the endangered Great One-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger, gharial crocodile, gaur, wild elephant, four-horned antelope, striped hyena, pangolin and Gangetic dolphin. Other animals found in the park include the hog deer, barking deer, sloth bear, palm civet, langur and rhesus monkey. There are over 450 species of birds in the park. Among the endangered birds are the Bengal florican, giant hornbill, lesser florican, black stork and white stork. Common birds seen in the park include the peafowl, red jungle fowl, and different species of egrets, herons, kingfishers, flycatchers and woodpeckers. More than 45 species of amphibians and reptiles have been recorded in the park, some of which are the marsh crocodile, cobra, green pit viper, and various species of frogs and tortoises.

Sagarmatha National Park: Sagarmatha National Park (1,148 sq km) encompasses Mt. Everest (8,850 m), the highest point on earth. Vegetation here includes pine and hemlock forests, fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron woods, scrub and alpine plant communities, and bare rock and snow. Wild animals that roam in this park are the Himalayan tahr, ghoral, serow and musk deer. The snow leopard and Himalayan black bear are present but rarely sighted. This is also home to the weasel, marten, Himalayan mouse hare (pika), jackal, and langur monkey.