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Most of the trees around the complex are surrounded by these prayer flags. For years Tibetans have planted flags outside their homes, temples and other spiritual places, the wind carry the beneficent vibrations and spread it all over. Prayer flags bring happiness, long life and prosperity to the flag planter, family and friends.
Updated Dec 7, 2009
Behind the main stupa there´s an area with some excellent crafts shops with masks, Tibetan paintings and wood carvings- I´m not shure if the prices were better than in Thamel ( there were less tourists) but for me it was a good place to buy handicrafts. There are also a couple of small cafes to relax and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the temple.
Updated Dec 7, 2009
In 1973, the Kathmandu valley and seven of their landmarks were declared World Heritage Site by the Unesco. The seven include the Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Bouddhanath and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan.
Written Dec 7, 2009
This temple offers a good example of sincretism, the two major Nepalese religions (Buddhism and Hinduism) are practiced here hand in hand. There are temples for Buddha and Hinduist deities, and most of the pilgrims visit and make offerings to both of them.
Written Dec 5, 2009
After visiting the Harati temple and behind it, there´s a huge platform with several small shrines and statues of Buddha and other deities. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, watching the pilgrims walking the clockwise circle of the stupa, and hearing Tibetan meditation chants coming out from one of the crafts shop.
Updated Dec 5, 2009
The Vajra or Dorje (in Tibetan) is a ritual Buddhist object that represents a thunderbolt and spiritual power. After climbing the stairs and passing the Vajra, pilgrims begin a series of clockwise circumambulations of the stupa (Newari Buddhists cirle counterclockwise direction).
Written Dec 3, 2009
These two Indian Shikhar style temples are flanking the gilded Vajra or Dorje, is the first sight of the complex after climbing the eastern staircase. The temples were built by King Pratap Malla and date from 1646.
Written Dec 3, 2009
These lamps filled with butter, are one of the main offerings in most of the Buddhist temples, the lights of the lamps symbolized the wisdom of the awakening mind. Near the main Stupa is located a Path (Pilgrim shelter) with a Kargyud-school gompa in the second floor where the ritual of the lamps is celebrated.
Written Dec 3, 2009
The center of the complex is this huge white-washed stupa, surrounded by other buddhist and hinduist temples. Above the stupa a square block depicting the golden eyes of Buddha, the ek (number one) the symbol that resembles a question mark and the tird eye of Buddha.
Written Nov 30, 2009
The temple is known by the tourists as the Monkey Temple due to the large amount of Rhesus Macaque monkeys that wander and live in the forest near the temple. The monkeys are very friendly and used to the human crowds that visit the complex; there are also vendors of seeds to feed the animals.
Updated Oct 30, 2009
The Swayambhunath a.k.a. the Moneky Temple, could be named as the “symbol” of Nepal, indeed, everyone looking at the wellknown “third eye Buddha”, would immediately think about Nepal. The Monkey...
Self-Created Stupa or Swayambhu Stupa
This magnificent temple is one of the oldest and holiest temple in the valley. According to the legend there was a great lake in the Kathmandu Valley, in the center of it a Lotus flower grew and when...
Swayambhu, meaning the “Self-Created”
Although often referred to by the foreigners as the Monkey Temple, this given name does not mean that the temple is dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey-god. This is the result of the many monkeys taking...
Swayambhunath - an island in the lake
It is said that the Kathmandu valley was once a lake and a legend says that the hill on which Swayambhunath stands was an island!
Build your own Swayambhunath page
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