Pictures of Nepal

Photo clicked on: 2012

Swayambhunath (or Swoyambhunath) is also know as the Monkey Temple and is an ancient religious Buddhist temple located on the top of a hill in the western part of the Kathmandu valley. Listed in the World Heritage Site, it is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimage sites.

According to the Gopalarajavamsavali, Swayambhunath was founded by the great grandfather of King Manadeva (464-505 CE), King Vrsadeva, about the beginning of the 5th century CE. Although the site is considered as Buddhist, the place is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Numerous Kings Hindu followers are known to have paid their homage to the temple, including Pratap Malla, the powerful king of Kathmandu, who is responsible for the construction of the eastern stairway in the 17th century.

There are two ways to reach the top of the monkey temple. The first and the most common is to get there by a car around the hill from the south leading to the southwest entrance but the most beautiful way to reach the top of this amazing temple is to climb the 365 stairs in the eastern side of the temple, leading directly to the main platform of the temple.

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