Historic places in Kathmandu

Historic places in Kathmandu

1. SeeWest

   Freak Street

   Historic street where western hippies seeking enlightenment would stay in the 1970s and 80s. Now just a few restaurants and hotels but the iconic Snowman Cafe is tucked away here. Opened in 1965 as a full functioning restaurant, Snowman is now a cafe shop with new Nescafe machine and paper cups, but still run by the same family. Since the family owns the property, this cafe shop survived from the pressure of rent. However, it's mostly a one-man shop, and that man is 50 years old. His father is too old to work and the next generation of the family are studying in Australia and seemingly won't take over. No one knows how long this final bastion of Freak Street will last.

2. SeeWest

   Garden of Dreams

   Swapna Bagaicha

   Relax in this beautiful and peaceful walled garden close to Thamel and the former Royal Palace. Beautifully renovated in partnership with the Austrian government. It has two pavilions depicting two of the six annual seasons in the Hindu calendar. There is a mini exhibition showing old photos of this garden. There is a restaurant (Kaiser Cafe) in it. You are not allowed to bring own food into the garden and even if you just want to go to Kaiser Cafe you still need to buy the ticket for the garden. Nice toilets.

   Daily 09:00-21:00·Rs400 for non-Nepalese, Rs150 for Nepalese

3. SeeEast

   Khawalung Monastery

   A beautiful Tibetan monastery near Boudhanath Stupa. It is inaugurated by Trulshik Rinpoche and Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche in October 2005. The monastery has an elementary and a training school. It consists of monks from remote region of Nepal and Tibet. There are many exquisite Tibetan Buddhist wall paintings.

4. SeeCentral

   Narayanhiti Palace Museum

   Narayanhiti comes from Narayana, a form of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu, and Hiti, meaning "water spout" (Vishnu's temple is located opposite the palace, and the water spout is located east of the main entrance to the precinct). Narayanhiti was a new palace, in front of the old palace built in 1915, and was built in 1970 in the form of a contemporary Pagoda. It was built on the occasion of the marriage of King Birenda Bir Bikram Shah, then heir apparent to the throne. The palace area covers (30 hectares) and is fully secured with gates on all sides. This is the former Royal palace which was turned partly into a museum, and partly into the Foreign Ministry in 2009 after the abolition of the monarchy. Now you can visit the splendid Halls of the main building of the palace. Giant fruit bats hanging from the tall trees and 20 foot-tall bamboo around the otherwise modern (and still well secured) former palace are a sight, especially around sunset when the bats depart en masse.

   Foreigners: Rs500

5. SeeWest

   National Museum

   Chhauni Museum

   This in an historical building. It was constructed in the early 19th century by General Bhimsen Thapa. It is the most important museum in the country, housing an extensive collection of weapons, art and antiquities of historic and cultural importance. The museum was established in 1928 as a collection house of war trophies and weapons, and the initial name of this museum was Chhauni Silkhana, meaning "the stone house of arms and ammunition". Given its focus, the museum contains an extensive quantity of weapons, including locally made firearms used in wars, leather cannons from the 18th–19th century, and medieval and modern works in wood, bronze, stone and paintings.

   Closed on Tuesdays

6. SeeEast

   Pashupatinath Temple

   This important Hindu temple is dedicated to Shiva in his form as the Lord of the Beasts. While only Hindus are allowed to enter the inner sanctum, the surrounding temple grounds are open to all visitors. The area features not only historic architecture and rich religious iconography, but also sadhus (holy men), a market for spiritual items, and a revered sacred cave. One of the most fascinating parts of the complex is the cremation ghats along the banks of the Bagmati River. These are best experienced in the early morning or evening, with striking light and moving devotional ceremonies beginning around 7 PM. Buddhist visitors should not miss the nearby caves — just beyond the high-caste cremation area— where the great teacher Tilopa instructed Naropa, who later attained enlightenment there.

7. SeeWest

   Swayambhunath

   स्वय म्भू AKA the Monkey Temple

   Perched on a hill overlooking Kathmandu, Swayambhu is a revered site featuring a grand stupa surrounded by Buddhist and Hindu iconography. According to legend, a former Buddha visited the valley, which was then a vast lake. The Buddha planted a lotus seed in the clear waters that bloomed after 84,000 years, crowned with an eternal flame. Drawn by the flame from Mount Wutai in China, the bodhisattva Manjushri drained the lake by cutting through the valley wall, making the site accessible for pilgrims. The stupa now stands where the lotus once blossomed, making Swayambhu one of Nepal’s most sacred Buddhist sites. The hilltop can be reached by climbing 350 steps, with a gentler but less scenic back route also available. A 30-minute walk from Thamel leads to the base, though a map is helpful due to several confusing intersections; taxis and bikes are also options. The site teems with monkeys—keep food hidden—and hosts ancient temples, souvenir stalls, cafes, and restaurants offering Nepali and Tibetan cuisine. For those with limited mobility, parking at the rear entrance minimizes the climb. Swayambhu is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley and includes the Swayambhu Buddhist Museum.

   Foreigners: Rs200 for single entry; Rs750 for a multiple entry pass

8. SeeWest

   The Natural History Museum

   Natural Science Museum of Tribhuvan University

   This museum has a sizeable collection of different species of animals, butterflies, and plants. The museum is noted for its display of species, from prehistoric shells to stuffed animals.

   Mon-Fri

9. SeeCentral Not mapped

   Asa Archives

   Specialising in medieval history and religious traditions of the Kathmandu Valley. The archives have a collection of some 6,000 loose-leaf handwritten books and 1,000 palm-leaf manuscripts (mostly in Sanskrit or Nepal Bhasa) and a manuscript dated to 1464.

10. SeeEast Not mapped

    Dilyak Dabzang Monastery

    The oldest original Karma Kagyu monastery in Boudha, Nepal. The monastery was established by Very Ven. 7th Dabzang Rinpoche year 1963 near the great stupa of Boudha.

11. Do Not mapped

    Future Nepal

    Future Nepal is a volunteer organization in Nepal established in 2002 and registered with social welfare council of Nepal. It is a non—governmental and extremely non-profitable organization working under the principle of “change society by Volunteering”. It established with the objective of changing and promoting the status of the country through “Volunteering in Nepal”. The members of its group have collected enough experiences in volunteering works and are familiar with every problems of the society. Volunteers can involve in teaching English in rural schools and monastery, women empowerment, healthpost volunteering, cultural exchange, organic farming, animal caring, work with orphans, etc.

12. BuyCentral Not mapped

    Mandala Book Point

    Kantipath. Probably the best for all types of reference, academic texts, tourist books and maps. Mandala also publishes books on sociology, anthropology, culture, politics and history of Nepal. It also a centre for most scholars visiting Nepal and patrons are encouraged to take part in the lively and informative discussions that frequently occur in the shop in the evening. The most reliable shop for The Economist and International Herald Tribune. Located on the east side of Kantipath just south of the Mountain Hotel and Nabil Bank building

13. DrinkWest Not mapped

    Mitho

    A cosy cafe with a long history in Thamel. Excellent and healthy meals. Good coffee.

14. SeeWest Not mapped

    Moti Azima Gallery

    In a three-story building which contains an impressive collection of traditional utensils and handmade dolls and items typical of a medieval Newar house, giving an important insight into Nepalese history.

15. SeeCentral Not mapped

    NAFA Gallery

    This is housed in Sita Bhavan, a neo-classical old Rana palace.

16. SeeWest Not mapped

    Nasal Chowk

    Statues, temples and the Rana museum in the Hanuman Dhoka former palace complex. The courtyard was used for royal coronations until 2001.

17. SeeEast Not mapped

    Shechen Monastery

    A very spacious and beautiful temple founded by the late Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. There is a garden restaurant near the monastery guest house.

18. DrinkEast Not mapped

    Ugyen Cafe

    Elegant cafe inside monastery compound. Large outside seating area, including Zen-style floor space. Excellent coffee and desserts. A number of veggie combo breakfast options. Small selection of Buddhist books and magazines to read on the premise.

    Daily: 7AM-8PM·Cappuccino - Nrs160

19. SeeWest

    Kumari Palace

    Kumari Ghar

    Home of "the Kumari", or living goddess, a young girl.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Kathmandu (CC BY-SA 4.0).