Nepal is a Mecca for the culture lovers, specifically for the Hindu and Buddhist heritage sites that are enlisted in the UNESCO sites. The religious tolerances, mutual amalgamation between the spiritual sites and the adoring cultural practices of the people in Nepal have enticed the explorers around the globe. Culture tour in Nepal let you an exclusive opportunity to discover the hidden cultural facts and the scenes in a blink around these vibrating sites.
We are going to introduce you 8 vibrating UNESCO listed cultural sites in Nepal.
Pashupatinath Temple: the most remarkable Hindu Pilgrimage Destination in Nepal
Pashupatinath Temple is located at the heart of the Kathmandu city. It is a globally recognized Hindu pilgrimage destination where millions of devotees visit every year. The main temple of Pashupatinath has got the golden pagoda roof and 4 silver doors. The major temples and shrines at the Pashupatinath temple premises are Vasuki Nath Temple, Unmatta Bhairava Temple, Surya Narayana Temple, Budhanilakantha shrine, Hanuman shrine, 184 Sivalinga shrine Guhyeshwari temple and others. Aaryaghat, is the place where the dead body is burnt. Teej, Shivaratri festival and Bala Chaturdasi are the major festivals celebrated in Pashupatinath temple.
Hindu sadhus, hermits and the worshippers revolve around the temple premises. Various mythologies that are connected with the establishments of the temples around and the holy surroundings make the tour in Pashupatinath remarkable.
Kathmandu Durbar Square, aka the open museum
Kathmandu Durbar Square aka Basantapur Darbar Square or Hanuman Dhoka Square is located in a busiest town inside Kathmandu. One of the UNESCO world heritage sites of the valley, this sacred site is an epitome of the cultural prosperity of the medieval era. The Newari architectures, an open showcase of deities and the variations in deities, Kathmandu Durbar Square offer a different glance of the beauty of culture and architectures. Thus, it is aptly called an open museum.
The temples, squares, bells and statues are the major visiting sites around this Durbar square. The image of Kal Bhairav is crowdly worshipped along with Swet Bhairav. The abode of Kumari (aka the virgin goddess) is another central attraction in this square.
Boudhanath Stupa: an epitome of cultural prosperity
Boudhanath Stupa is a delighting UNESCO listed world heritage site in Kathmandu. It is the biggest stupa in South Asia that welcomes millions of Buddhist devotees and the travelers around the world every year. The huge dome, prayer flags and moving prayer wheels are wonderful experiences. It is taken as the largest stupa in the world with unique structure. The establishment of this stupa dates back to the 1950s era, when the Tibetan refugees flee away from Tibet and settled down in Boudhanath area as refugees.
Swayambhunath: Amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist sites
Swayambhunath is another site that offers a wonderful experience of exploring the self emerged 5th century cultural attractions. Located on the hillside, it offers an excellent valley view. Located at the central part of the Kathmandu, Swayambhunath offers the cultural wonders of the Newari Buddhism, which is known as Vajrayana sect. It is taken as the most sacred pilgrimage sites for the Buddhist devotees among other sites in the Kathmandu valley.
Swayambhunath premises consist variety od shrines and temples dating back to the Lichhavi period. The main stupa consists of a dome with Buddha eyes in four directions. It is in the cubical structure. The main cultural aura of Swayambhunath is that it is equally popular pilgrimage destination for the Hindu devotees. The fluttering prayer flags around Swayambhunath delight you.
Patan Durbar Square: the art square
Patan Durbar Square is situated in Lalitpur, which is one out of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu valley and a UNESCO listed monumental site. The square is a live art of the Newari architecture that holds several temples and idols. The big bell, the artistic temples and the museum are the prime attractions in Patan Durbar Square. The attractions of the temples and chowks are: Krishna Mandir, Bhimsen Temple, Vishwanath Temple, Taleju Bhawani Temple, Keshav Narayan Chowk, Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowkand so on.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square: medieval crafts
An ancient civilization of Bhaktapur Durbar Square is located on the eastern part of the Kathmandu valley that carries rich medieval cultural crafts of woods and stones. With various cultural attractions and historical palace, Bhaktapur will not let you go until you roam around its ancient gullies and visit the pottery square along with the exploration of temples.
The major attractions in the Bhaktapur Durbar Square are: 55 window palace, Vatsala temple, statue of Bhupatindra Malla, Nyatpola temple, Bhairavnath temple, Golden gate, Lion’s gate and so on. The ancient museum and the handicraft show are further attractions.
Changu Narayan Temple: an ancient cultural aura
Located at the hilltop above Bhaktapur, the Changu Narayan Temple is about 12 km east of the Kathmandu valley. The temple is an artistic form of the wooden crafts in the medieval era, dedicated to Lord Visnu, who used to travel by the Garuda. It is a renowned pilgrimage destination of the Hindu devotees. One of the UNESCO llisted monumental world heritage sites of the Kathmandu valley, Changu Narayan temple represents the real form of ancient architectures that delight the travelers around the world.
Lumbini: the Birthplace of Lord Buddha
Lumbini is the only UNESCO listed monumental world heritage site outside of the Kathmandu valley. It is a highly sacred land that has borne the holy spirit- Lord Buddha. The site has been spread in 2.56 sq km. Some of the exclusively spectacular sites of Lumbini include Ashoka Pillar, Buddhist Temples, Bodhi Tree, Puskarini Pond, Mayadevi Temple, Japan Monastery, Lumbini Museum and others. Spending an exploration day, you will encounter with the wonderful sites of Buddhist devotees of different countries. Further attractions in Lumbini include Burmese Lokamani Cula Pagoda, Chinese Maitreya Temple, Shanti stupa lumbini, Kapilvastu Elephant Idol, Shanti Gumba lumbini and Myanmar Golden Temple.