Swayambhunath is the collection of miniature stupas, pagoda temples, and monasteries with a spectacular view of the Kathmandu valley. This historic holy sanctuary has a beautiful ambience created by centuries-old statues, thousands of butter lamps, carved symbols, and the scent of incense sticks.
The Buddha statue on the western side, the huge gold-plated Vajra 'thunderbolt' in the east, the statue of the sleeping Buddha, the Dewa Dharma monastery, which houses a bronze icon of Buddha and traditional Tibetan paintings, and the temple dedicated to Harati, the goddess of children, are just a few of the notable monuments in Swayambhunath.
Swayambhunath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also known as the 'Monkey Temple' because of the hundreds of monkeys that flourish on the hill.
Swayambhu is one of Nepal's oldest holy places. According to the Gopalarajavasavali, it was founded at the beginning of the 5th century CE by King Vasdeva, King Mandeva's great-grandfather (464-505 CE). A shattered stone inscription discovered at the site appears to substantiate this, indicating that work was commissioned in 640 CE by King Vasdeva. In the third century BCE, Emperor Ashoka is reported to have visited the location and constructed a temple on the hill, which was eventually demolished. Despite the fact that the site is Buddhist, it is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Several Hindu monarchs are known to have paid their respects to the temple, notably Pratap Malla, the mighty ruler of Kathmandu, who is credited with building the eastern stairs in the 17th century. In May 2010, the stupa underwent its first major refurbishment since 1921, and the 15th in the roughly 1,500-year history of its construction. 20 kilogram of gold was used to re-gild the Swayambhu Shrine. The Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center of California funded the refurbishment, which began in June 2008.
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