Changu Narayan
Considered The Oldest Temple In The Kathmandu Valley; One Of Seven Monument Zones Of The Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site · Changunarayan, Bagmati
Changu Narayan is a Hindu temple to Vishnu on a ridge above the Kathmandu Valley, considered the oldest temple in the valley and one of its seven World Heritage monument zones. The present two-tiered pagoda was rebuilt in the early eighteenth century after a fire, but the site is far older: a stone pillar in the courtyard carries an inscription of the Licchavi king Manadeva dated to the fifth century CE, regarded as the oldest known inscription in Nepal. The courtyard is a museum of Licchavi and later sculpture, with superb stone images of Vishnu in his different forms, including Vishnu riding Garuda, and the roof struts are richly carved. The temple was damaged in the 2015 earthquake and has been restored. The small village around it is quiet and traditional, and a walk from Bhaktapur or down from Nagarkot is the nicest way to arrive. It sits in tier 2 because almost everyone visits it as part of a Bhaktapur day, but for anyone interested in the art of Nepal it is one of the most important places in the country.
Changu village, on a ridge north of Bhaktapur, Changunarayan, Bagmati, Nepal
Open daily in daylight, roughly from early morning until dusk, with the courtyard busiest in the early morning when villagers come to worship; foreigners pay an entry fee at the village gate, and the small village museum charges separately and keeps shorter hours. Changu Narayan is about half an hour by road from Bhaktapur, or a walk of a couple of hours; trails also lead down from Nagarkot along the ridge. Festival days bring crowds - confirm current hours and fees locally.