Representing Patan from top
Patan city is full of ancient shrines heritages of historical importance prevailing in the city for thousand of years.Temples , stupas, Bahals, monastries, etc are the major shrines in Patan found in every corner of the city having their own historical and cultural importance.
Mahabuddha temple is dedicated to Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha.It was built by priest Abhaya Raj of Patan.The temple is often called "the temple of a thousand Buddhas" because a Buddha image is engraved on every brick. The temple is modeled on the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodhgaya, India.
South of Mul Chowk is the smaller Sundari Chowk, arranged around a superbly carved sunken water tank known as the Tusha Hiti. Built in 1647, the renovated water tank has 72 carved stone plaques depicting Tantric deities and was used by the king for ritual ablutions. The spout is new; the original was stolen in 2010 but recently recovered. Ancient carved wooden struts lie scattered in the corners like kindling wood.
The courtyard of Keshav Narayan Chauk was built in 1734.The tiny shrine at the center of the courtyard is dedicated to Vishnu.In 1950, it was used as one of the first public schools in Nepal.
The Krishna temple is built in the Shikhara style, imported from India.Beneath its 21 golden pinnacles are three floors. The eight-sided Krishna temple which marks the entrance to the Durbar Square is also known as the Cyasimdeval or Cyasim Degah. The temple as a whole is most notable architecturally for the excellence of its carving in stone, and it bears no relation to multi-roofed Nepalese temples in brick and wood.
The Golden Temple is a Tibetan Buddhist temple located right north of Patan's Durbar Square, just a 2-minute walk away. There are many interesting images inside the temple, as well as some turtles and rats.
Built in 1627, Vishnavath temple honors the god Shiva. In keeping with the erotic imagery common to Shiva temples in India, the roof supports are decorated with erotic carvings. A stone linga is also enshrined inside the temple. Twin stone elephants, visible in image 2, guard the entrance.
The Kumbeshwar Mandir in Patan is a popular Hindu temple and is an interesting place to see undisturbed Hindu culture at its best. It was built in 1392 and has remained quite the same ever since (one more level was added to the temple though). There is a holy water tank here that attracts Hindu pilgrims.