UNESCO World Heritage Sites

In between the narrow and crowded city of Kathmandu lies Basantapur Durbar Square, a medieval marvel of art and architecture. As these monuments are still a perfect exhibition of the mastery of the arts and architecture of that era. It’s widely accepted that the construction of these monuments started in the 3rd century during the rule of the Lichhavi reign in the Valley.

Durbar literally translates to Palace which obviously was used by various Kings during different times of history. Among them, the most notable were the Malla Kings(1484-1520). specifically, Pratap Malla as during his time most noteworthy monuments have been built.

After the devastating earthquake of 2015 the Square lost some of the important monuments like the Kasthamandap from which it is believed that the name of the Valley was derived. The efforts for reconstruction are going on with the aid of the Government of China.

Bhaktapur is located in the eastern part of the Kathmandu Valley. Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon or Khwopa, is considered to be the habitat of Nepalese culture, custom, and fascinating artistry of outstanding craftsmanship.

Each historical monument stands for medieval culture, religion, and customs in Nepal. The population of Newari culture has largely dominated Bhaktapur. The Lion Gate, the Golden Gate, the art gallery,

the statue of King Bhupatindra, the Nyatapola Temple, and the Malla Palace with fifty-five windows are the joys of Bhaktapur. The place houses the best restaurants and hotels to meet the needs and requirements of tourists.

Patan Durbar Square lies southeast of Kathmandu Valley and is bordered by 4 stupas, erected by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. It is also called Lalitpur. The origin of the term Lalitpur is accompanied by several legends. Legend has it that in antiquity, Kathmandu was plagued by severe drought and three people were hired to call Red Machhendranath from Kamaru Kamachhya, a town in Assam, India, for rains in the valley.

Among the three people was one named Lalit, who thought he had contributed more. When it finally rained, the valley was named after his name and finally called Lalitpur. Another story reports that the valley was named after King Yalamber. People refer to Patan as Yala. The story goes that Patan was founded in the 3rd century by the Kirat dynasty and later modeled to perfection by Lichhavis in the 6th century, followed by the Malla dynasty.

This city offers a wide variety of the finest traditional crafts and a rich artistic heritage. Patan Durbar Square, Mahaboudha Temple, Kumbeshwor Temple, Krishna Temple, Golden Temple of Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, Mulchowk, Jagat Narayan Temple, Big Bell, Pillar of Yognarendra Malla, Hari Shanker Temple, Vishwanath Temple, Bhimsen Temple, Marga Hiti, Mani Mandap Café Pagoda, Rato Machhendra Temple, Minnath, Rudra Varna Mahavihar, etc. are the main attractions of Patan.

The Pashupatinath Temple is by far the most important temple in Nepal. It is situated on the bank of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu. This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The term Pashupati literally means Lord of the Animals.

The history of the exact date of this temple's construction is contradictory however the popular belief is that King Prachanda Dev built the temple in the 5th century. This temple is revered by millions of Hindus worldwide.

Even being a Shiva temple there are several shrines dedicated to other deities like Vasuki Nath Temple, Unmatta Bhairava Temple, Surya Narayana Temple, Kirtimukha Bhairava shrine, Budhanilakantha shrine, Hanuman shrine, 184 Sivalinga shrine, Ram Temple, Virat Swaroop temple, 12 jyotirlinga and Pandra Shivalaya

This two-story traditional Nepali architectural temple is considered to be the oldest temple. It was supposed to be built around 464 AD as per the inscription on a pillar that was set up by then Lichhavi king Mandeva.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and revered by the Hindus. It is situated in the Changu Narayan Municipality of Bhaktapur district. Even though the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the courtyard comprises smaller temples dedicated to Shiva, Chinnamasta, Krishna, Kileshowr, and Asta Matrika.

There are idols and sculptures related to the ten Avatars of Lord Vishnu. The temple consists of other sculptures related to Lord Vishnu, which are Garuda, Naaga, Chakra, and more. The shrine is one of the most important pieces of the ancient history of Nepal.

Lumbini is one major destination among travelers and pilgrims as it is the Birthplace of Lord Gautama Buddha. and then later he got enlightened.

People later started a religion based on him “Buddhism” Due to this fact it is one of the main attractions for tourists. Thousands of pilgrims visit this site each year.

This site has few old monuments like the Mayadevi Temple, whereas new temples and monuments have been constructed with the help of funding from various organizations from various countries.

Situated in quite a unique place, which is on a top of a small hill is a very famous pilgrimage for the Buddhists and the Hindus. As the name suggests, the monument is home to a very huge population of the Monkeys .

The place is one of the major destinations for both internal and external tourists. Besides the cultural and architectural value, this monument provides a panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley.

Bouddhanath is a major monument inside Kathmandu for Buddhists. However, this place attracts a huge amount of tourists. This landmark is a representation of the Himalayan Buddhism Culture.

The arts and crafts, music, religious ceremonies, and gompas are some of the major attractions of this monument. It is believed to have been established during the Licchivi Reign in Nepal.

The exact date has been a topic of contradiction between the Newar and the Buddhist mythology

Chitwan National Park is the oldest National Park in Nepal. Formerly known as Royal Chitwan NP, was established in 1973 and listed as a world heritage site in 1984. It covers an area of 952.63 square km of land in the lowlands of Chitwan, Nawalpur, Parsa, and Makwanpur.

Having a tropical monsoon climate, this national park is home to various flora and faunas. The counted number of species in this park concludes with 68 mammals, 543 birds,19 reptiles, and 113 fish. Among them, One Horned Rhinoceros, Elephants, Bengal Tiger, Gharials, and many other species of wildlife call this park home.

Sagarmatha National Park is one important part of the country. Situated in the northeastern part of Nepal, covers an area of 1,148 sq km. The highest point in the world Mt.Everest (8848) makes this park world’s highest elevated national park.

Besides Everest, there are 7 more peaks higher than 7000m. The park comprises mountains, glaciers, deep valleys, river basins, and lakes. Sagarmatha in the Nepali dialect means the forehead of the sky. It was established as a National park in 1976 and in 1979 listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

The high elevation of this region does allow only selective vegetations to grow. Juniper, rhododendron, and pine are among the major ones. This Park is home to some endangered species like the snow leopard and the red panda.

Musk deer, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan Thar, langur monkeys, and other animals are found in this park. Birds like Himalayan Monal, and blood pheasant are among the important birds found in this area.