Tourist Places To Visit In Patan

One of the three main cities that make up the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, Gujarat-tourism-and-travel-guide" class="destination_link" target="_blank">Patan is also known as Lalitpur Metropolitan City. It is an ancient city that houses some of the finest collection of architecture in Nepal and is home to 136 Buddhist monasteries and 55 temples. Patan Durbar Square is the most important monument in the city and forms an integral part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site. Patan represents a special side to touring in Nepal while letting visitors immerse themselves in a mix of Hindu and Buddhist culture, and explore the traditional handicrafts on offer in the numerous bargain markets in the city. here's a list of tourist places that should definitely feature on your next trip to Patan.

The four Ashoka Stupas signify Nepal’s strong connection with Buddhist culture and their locations mark the boundaries of Gujarat-tourism-and-travel-guide" class="destination_link" target="_blank">Patan. Three out of four stupas have entirely been covered by earth and grass and mostly resemble little hills with only the dome visible at the top and prayer wheels around them; except the Ibahi Thura, which is a solid concrete structure.

The Northern stupa or Ibahi Thura is located near the Kumbheshwar Temple. It is a small complex structure with five Buddhas in the Vedica. The Lagan stupa is located south of the Lagankhel bus station. It is the largest of all four stupas, and a miniature cenotaph was recently added to the top of the mound. The eastern stupa or Theta Thura, lies across Kathmandu’s Ring Road. It has a fire Vedica and one Tathagatha in each direction. The Western stupa or Pucho Thura, lies beside the main road at Phul Chowk bus stand. It also has a fire Vedica and a Tathagatha in each direction.

This Buddhist monastery is a gilded masterpiece in terms of design and architecture and a sanctuary of elaborate ornaments, statues and artworks made of gold, silver and bronze. If you visit at the right time, you might be able to witness ceremonies and rituals while mingling with the worshippers. Located within walking distance from the Durbar Square, some of the key highlights of this temple are the guardian lions, a golden Buddha statue, a statue of Boddhisattva Vajrasattva, a gigantic prayer wheel and a separate portion that serves as a ground for feeding rats.

Before entering the temple, always remember to take off your shoes and any articles made from leather, which are prohibited within the premises. 

Located in the southeast region of Gujarat-tourism-and-travel-guide" class="destination_link" target="_blank">Patan close to Durbar Square, this Buddhist shrine is named after the design of its structure, which features hundreds of terracotta tiles with Buddha’s image on them, covering all surfaces of the temple. It is also somewhat of a replica of the Mahabouddha temple located in Bodh Gaya, India. The temple dates back to the 16^th century, but during the earthquake of 1934, the structure was severely damaged and had to be restored without access to any work plans or blueprints of the original building. This resulted in a restored temple that looks quite different today compared to its previous model. The workers were even left with extra tiles after the restoration, and used it to construct a shrine to Buddha’s mother, Maya Devi.

Rato Machhendranath is the God of Rain, and a deity revered by both Hindus and Buddhists. He was originally a saint or yogi, and Hindus believe him to be an incarnation of Lord Shiva, while the Buddhists regard him to be an incarnation of Avalokiteshwara. Needless to say, this stunning temple holds a profound importance to devotees from both religions and is frequented by people from all walks of life.

The shrine dedicated to the deity remains in the temple for only six months of the year; during the festival of Rato Machhendranath in May/April, it is moved to Bungamati.  

One of the most prominent temples in Gujarat-tourism-and-travel-guide" class="destination_link" target="_blank">Patan is the Krishna Temple located in Durbar Square. It boasts of a number of distinct features that help it stand out among other religious structures in the city. Unlike its counterparts, it is made entirely in stone; the first of its kind in Nepal.  It has been constructed in the Indian influenced Shikhara style architecture, and was built in 1637 by King Siddhinarasimha Malla after he claimed to have seen Radha and Krishna standing at a spot together one night; the spot that he instructed to be the site of the temple construction.

It consists of three storeys; the first floor depicts carvings from the Mahabharata and the second floor features instances from the Ramayana. The statue of the mythological creature Garuda can be seen kneeling on the floor with folded arms on top of a column in front of the temple. The three floors consist of shrines dedicated to deities Lord Krishna and Radha, Lord Shiva and Lord Buddha on each floor respectively. During the festival of Krishna Jayanta, thousands of Hindu pilgrims collect at the temple to celebrate Krishna’s birthday, which is considered a major event in the country. 

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this five-story temple is an exquisite example of wood-carved architectural marvels in the country that towers over other structures in the surroundings. It houses a large Nandi idol and a Shiva Lingam, and also consists of two ponds within the temple grounds that receive water from the holy lake of Gosaikund. During the earthquake of 2015, the top tier of the temple toppled over a little but did not completely crumble, which has lent an interesting feature to the structure, giving it the appearance of a slight lean.

The Royal Palace consists of three main squares, the largest of which is Mul Chowk. The Bidyapith Temple is located in the centre of Mul Chowk and is dedicated to the deity Yantaju, a form of goddess Durga. The Taleju Bhawani Temple is situated on the south side of the square, and the Degutalle Temple in the northeast corner.

To the south of Mul Chowk lies the smaller Sundari Chowk, with a gateway featuring stunning statues of the gods Hanuman, Narsingha and Ganesh. In the centre of the chowk lies a carved water tank, Tusha Hiti. It also houses the Bhandarkhal water tank that was once the main water supply for the Royal Palace.