Swayambhunath Stupa Kathmandu

Swayambhu Nath Stupa is popular temple in Kathmandu valley for both religious people of Buddhist and Hindus, lies 3km west . It is located 77m above the sea level of the Kathmandu valley.Swayambhunath Temple also called the `Monkey Temple' because of the many hundreds of monkeys who scamper around the temple. Swayambhunath's worshippers include Hindus, Vajrayana Buddhists of northern Nepal and Tibet, and the Newari Buddhists of central and southern Nepal. Each morning before dawn, hundreds of pilgrims will ascend the 365 steps that lead up the hill.

It was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Monument List in 1979.The history of the Valley, according to the legends, the lotus mysteriously radiated a brilliant light, and the name of the place came to be Swayambhu, meaning 'Self-Created or Self-Existent'. Bodhisattva Manjusri came across a beautiful lake during his travel. He saw a lotus that emitted brilliant light at the lake's center, so he cut a gorge in a southern hill and drained the waters to worship the lotus. The lotus was then transformed into a hill and the light became the Swayabhunath Stupa. Men settled on the bed of the lake and called it the Kathmandu Valley. From then on, the hilltop of the Self-existent Lord has been a holy place.