Swayambhunath
Swayambhunath is a Buddhist site in Kathmandu, located on a hill where you can see the entire Kathmandu Valley. It is one of Nepal's 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Swayambhunath is often called an open-air museum.
The Kathmandu Valley was once entirely covered by water, and Swayambhunath was an island. According to Buddhist legend, Manjushree from Tibet came here, and he saw a natural gas flame on this hill station, which was then named Swayambhunath. Swayambhu has two meanings in Sanskrit. Swayam means itself, and Bhu means the earth. Because of the natural flame, Manjushree thought it was the god's power and named the land after the god himself. He wanted to go to the lake and pray there, but he could not because water surrounded it. Then he went to southern Kathmandu, cut a hill, and made a gorge through which water from the Kathmandu Valley drained out; he went to Swayambhunath and made a small dome to protect the flame. Manjushree had not yet covered the flame. Later, Shantikaracharya covered it all.
The main stupa was negligible until 1406, when the Muslim king Samasuddin destroyed it. King Jayasthiti Malla rebuilt it, and in the 17th century, King Pratap Malla built a more significant and perfect stupa at Pratappura and Anantapur.
Why is Swayambhunath known as Monkey Temple?
Swayambhunath (meaning "the earth is god itself") is the actual name of this place; later, it became known as the Monkey Temple. We see many monkeys here because the hill has an extensive forest where they can live, and because of them, the place is more popular as a monkey temple. Pronouncing Swayambhunath could be difficult for tourists, making the Monkey Temple more accessible. Among tourists, this place is more popular as a monkey temple than Swayambhunath.
Things to See in Swayambhunath
- Colorful Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags
- World Peace Pond (wishing pond)
- Monkeys and Monkey’s Swimming Pool
- Giant white Stupa (Buddhist temple)
- Thunderbolt (Bajra)
- Harati Temple (Temple of pneumonia)
- View of Kathmandu Valley
- Antique shops and more
This is general information about Swayambhunath; please contact us if you want to visit. We provide a knowledgeable and helpful tour guide for detailed information about this place.
