Although Nepal is a small nation, there are many such places here which are very historic and very important. So, some of those places have been enlisted as World Heritage Sites so they can be protected. In Nepal there are total 10 World Heritage Sites, 8 are cultural heritage, and 2 are natural heritage.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu Durbar Square is located in the main city of Kathmandu and is very near to the tourist hub, Thamel. The square is also called Basnatapur Darbar Kshetra. It is one of the three Durbar squares. The Durbar square is the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace Complex. In the complex, the royal families of Nepal used to reside until the 19th century and in there important ceremonies like the coronation of Nepali monarch used to take place. There is also the King Tribhuvan Memorial Museum and the Mahendra Museum.

The temples and palaces of Durbar square have suffered damages either by natural causes or by neglect and have gone through reconstruction. In the present, there are less than ten quadrangles in the square. The temples of the square are preserved as national heritages while the palace is used as a museum. Visitors are allowed only in the few parts of the temples, and the Taleju temple is open for only Hindu and Buddhist faith.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is located in the Bhaktapur district at a distance of 13 kilometers east of Kathmandu. The whole complex has four squares, Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square, and Pottery Square, but the whole area is known as the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. It is one of the three durbar squares.

The Durbar Square comprises many ancient monuments and religious heritage. 55-window temple, Nayatapola temple, BhairavNath temple, Golden Gate, Lion’s Gate are some of the major attractions.

Patan Durbar Square

Patan Durbar Square is located in the center of Lalitpur district. It is one of the three durbar squares. Although the history of the square is not clear, the Malla kings of Lalitpur are credited with the establishment of Royal Square. The square is home to many ancient temples and monuments. Krishna Temple, Bhimsen temple, Taleju Bhawani temple, and Vishwanath temple are the major temples of the square.

Patan Durbar Square

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath temple is probably the most famous temple in Nepal. The temple is visited by devotees inside the country and from other countries as well, mainly from India. It is a sacred Hindu complex located in the bank of the holy river of Bagmati. The temple has spread the area of 264 hectors. The main temple of Pashupatinath is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was established as new by the Lichhavi King Shupuspa in the 15th century after the previous building was consumed by termites. And over time many temples have been built around.

In the complex, there is a total of 518 temples and monuments. There are temples, images, inscriptions, and ashrams have been built over the centuries. The main temple of the complex which is a pagoda-style temple is guarded by military forces.

Boudhanath Stupa

Boudhanath is one of the most sacred sites of Buddhists. It is located in the distance of 11 kilometers from the center and northeastern outskirts of Kathmandu. It is one of the largest spherical stupas of Nepal, and as the stupa dominates the skyline, it is also one of the largest stupas in the world. As per the history, it is said that Nepali Licchavi King Sivadeva founded the stupa. There are other chronicles which date it to the region of King Manadeva. However, as per the Tibetan source, they claim that the mound on the site was excavated in the late 15th or early 16th century and the bones of king Amshuvarma (605-621 CE) was found here. Despite all the historical data, the emperor of the Tibetan Empire, Trisong Detsen (755 AD – 797 AD), is traditionally associated with the construction of the stupa.

Swayambhunath Stupa

Swyambhunath is also one of the sacred sites for Buddhists. It is located in the top of a hill in the western side of the Kathmandu city. The Swayambhunath area also has Tibetan name meaning “Sublime Trees” for the many varieties of trees which can be found on the hill. For the Buddhist Newar, Swayambhunath occupies a central position and is probably the most sacred among Buddhist pilgrimages sites. However, for the Tibetans and the followers of Tibetan Buddhism, it comes second after Boudhanath.

In the whole area of the Swayambhunath, there are a variety of shrines and temples, some of them date back to the Licchavi period. Some recent additions have also been made, which includes a Tibetan monastery, museum, and a library. There are many shops, restaurants, and hotels which adds up the charm of visiting Sawaymabhunath.

Swayambhunath

Lumbini

Lumbini is known to the whole world, as it is the birthplace of the Lord Buddha. In Lumbini, there are many temples and monuments built to honor the Lord Buddha. There are monasteries, temples, museum and a holy pond, where Buddha had his first bath. There is also a pillar built by the Ashoka, the great emperor of India.

Changu Narayan

Changu Narayan is the ancient Hindi temple located on the high hilltop known as Changu or Dolagiri. It is in the Bhaktapur district at a distance of 12 kilometers east of Kathmandu. The temple is dedicated to the Lord Vishnu, and it is considered to be the oldest temple in the history of Nepal.

Sagarmatha National Park

Sagarmatha National Park is the lies in the eastern Nepal which covers the area of 1,148 km2. The park is dominated by the world tallest mountain, Mount Everest (8,848 meters). In the park, there is a diverse range of vegetation which includes juniper, birch, firs, blue pines, bamboo, rhododendron, hemlock, mosses, and lichens. The park is also inhabited by many wildlife including snow leopard, red pandas, Himalayan wolves, musk deer, langur monkeys, and Himalayan thars. Also, 118 species of birds have inhabited the forest of the park.

Sagarmatha National Park

Chitwan National Park

Chitwan National is the first national park of Nepal. It was established in 1976 and covers an area of 952.63 km2. There is a wide range of flora and fauna in the park. The vegetation of park consists of chir pine, rosewood, elephant apple, sal, and others. The park is also home to the tallest grasses in the world. There are 700 species of wildlife which includes one-horned rhino, Bengal tigers, mugger crocodiles and so on. Also, there are 68 species of mammals and about 600 species of birds. The butterflies, insects, and moths of the parks haven’t been surveyed yet.