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'The Kathmandu Valley', located in the Kingdom of Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the Buddhists. The cities of Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Chobhar located in this valley, present a high style of Newar art and architecture. The valley is a cultural and political hub of Nepal. Mixed with all the other cultures, many of whom have recently arrived from different parts of Nepal, Newar culture still exist very vibrantly. Kathmandu valley was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979.

Contents

Places

Origins in Legend

See also

External links

Places

Important monuments of Kathmandu valley include:


★ Kathmandu Durbar Square

★ Patan Durbar Square

★ Bhaktapur Durbar Square

★ Thimi Durbar Square

★ Changu Narayan

★ Swayambhunath Stupa

★ Boudhanath Stupa

★ Pashupatinath temple

★ Balkumari Temple/Thimi

★ Wakachhen Mahadev/Thimi

★ Golden Window/Thimi

★ Chabahil

★ Manjushree Temple in Majipa, Manjushree Tole

★ Aditnath Temple in Chobhar hill village

Origins in Legend

According to Swayambhu Purana and legend, Kathmandu Valley was once a lake. It is believed that goddess Manjushree cut a gorge at a place called Chobhar Gorge, near Chobhar Ancient Hill Village (sp. also Chovar, chobar) and drained away the waters to establish a habitable land.
Within a few hundred feet of Gorge Gorge are Chobhar Caves, carved out of limestone. Recent explorations of the caves in April 2007 indicate that there are at least 6 known entrances all documented by GPS readings made by a French team of speleologists, led by Maurice Duchesne from France. A map of those caves is now available, but as the caves are often infiltrated by water due to fluctuating levels of the nearby Bagmati river, visitors are strongly advised not visit the inside of the caves without being accompanied by competent professional guides who have a compass and other equipment required for cave exploration. Minimum safety precautions should be taken.
To date, no snakes have been sighted in these Chobhar caves but many sightings of hundreds if not thousands of bats.
Measuring a minimum of 1250 metres, Chobhar caves are the second largest in Nepal and the third largest in Asia. Cross country, the caves are a brief fifteen minute walk from ancient Chobhar Hill Village.

See also

★ Culture of Nepal

External links

★ UNESCO - Kathmandu valley

★ Advisory Board Evaluation

★ Images from Kathmandu Valley

★ 360° panorama images of Kathmandu valley