Chagunarayan Temple

Changunarayan Temple is a pagoda-style Hindu temple 6 km more. far from Bhaktapur and 22 km far from Kathmandu the top of the hill is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu (protector). It is one of the oldest and the first temple built in the early 4th century and rebuilt in the 17th century after the temple was destroyed by fire.  Changunarayan temple is also enlisted in UNESCO”s cultural world heritage site in 1979. Most of the stone carvings and sculptures in the temple courtyard were done during the dates to Lichhabi Dynasty.  The exquisitely built temple has intricate roof struts showing multi-armed Tantric deities. A kneeling sculpture of Garuda dated to the 5th century with a snake around its neck, faces the temple. They believe that this statue was probably standing on a stone monolith but fell due to earthquakes. The gilded door depicts stone lions guarding the temple. Gilded windows also flank the door. A conch and a disc, symbols of Vishnu are carved on the two pillars at the entrance. There are statues of kings and Queens who have restored the temple remarkably. There are very important and meaningful stone statues around the temple. One stone statue finds in NRS. Ten rupees note is also from the same temple.