Probably the most recognizable place in Nepal, Kathmandu serves as both its capital and cosmopolitan heart, buzzing with the traffic, pollution, and noise associated with developing world cities. Heralded as the gateway to the country, it is a bustling metropolis blessed lavishly with an exotic and ancient cultural heritage. In fact, its location in a bowl surrounded by hills and forests has given rise to a local legend that it was once really a lake, until the Bodhisattva Manjushri cleaved the nearby mountains with his sword of wisdom and drained the water through the passage.
Visitors to Kathmandu may best avoid the highways and head directly to the back streets where they can find various temples and monuments that give testament to the city's rich history. One important landmark is the Kathmandu Durbar Square found right in its heart - the former seat of power for the Nepalese royalty. Inside this complex is the unique Jagannath Temple, a 16th century edifice that has distinct erotic figures carved into its wooden struts. The Taleju Temple, on the other hand, is reputed to be the tallest of all structures commissioned by King Mahendra Malla. One can also find there the Kal Bhairav, a huge stone idol representing the vicious incarnation of the god Shiva, and the Kasthamandap, a temple built from a single tree, from which the name Kathmandu was derived.
The highlight of a visit to Kathmandu will probably be the Boudha Nath Stupa, considered as one of the oldest and biggest of its kind in Nepal. Towering at 36 meters high, it is divided into three Mandala-style tiers and features a pair of eyes at the top that almost seem as if watching over the land. According to folklore, the stupa was built by the son of King Dharma Deva as atonement for killing his own father in order to end a terrible drought that had befallen the kingdom. Today, it is considered as one of the most sacred sites for Tibetan Buddhists.
The Swayambhu Nath Stupa, believed to date back to 250 BC, is the biggest stupa in Nepal. It is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites and is an architectural gem to boot. One can see its characteristic white dome adorned with a 13-tiered golden spire representing the 13 steps to reach nirvana. Like the Boudha Nath Stupa, it also brandishes the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha at its summit. Visitors are warned, though, that they will have to brave the 360 steps before reaching the stupa itself.