strong>The ancient city of Patan
Patan is situated on the elevated tract of land on the south side of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu Valley. It was developed on relatively thin layers of deposited clay and gravel in the central part of a dried ancient lake known as Nagdaha.
Patan has a population of 166,000 in an area of 4.59 km². It is the fourth largest city of the Kingdom after Kathmandu, Biratnagar and Pokhara. Lalitpur Sub metropolitan municipality is divided in to 22 wards.
Latitude 27°40′22.91″N Longitude 85°25′40.28″E
The city spreads over 16 sq. kilometres and is divided into 22 Municipal wards. A substantial portion of the population is engaged in various trades, especially in traditional handicrafts and small scale cottage industries and the rest are busy in agriculture. Lalitpur is the only city in Nepal that has produced the highest number of renowned artists and finest craftsmen ever recorded in Nepalese Art History. The most famous Newar artists and master craftsmen like Arniko, Abhay Raj and Siddhi Raj were all born in Lalitpur.
The city was initially designed in the shape of the Buddhist Dharma-Chakra (Wheel of Righteousness). The four thurs or mounds located on the perimeter of Patan are ascribed around, one at each corner of its cardinal points, which are popularly known as Ashoka Stupas. Legend has it that Emperor Ashoka (Legendary King of India) visited with his daughter Charumati to Kathmandu in 250 B.C. and erected five Ashoka Stupas, four in the surrounding and one at the middle of the Patan. The size and shape of these stupas seem to breathe their antiquity in a real sense. There are more than 1,200 Buddhist monuments of various shapes and sizes scattered in and around the city. The most important monument of the city is Patan Durbar Square, which has been listed by UNESCO as one of seven Monument Zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.
The Patan Durbar Square is taken as the only monumental area in all three cities of the Kathmandu Valley that still outstands with its most magnificent architectural splendour and unique artistic beauty. Patan has kept its cultural and its finest craftmanship alive even in the face of many social and political upheavals.
Patan Durbar Square
This whole square is a cluster of fine pagoda temples and stone statues; it is at the same time the business hub of the city. At every step one comes across a piece of art or some images of various deities, testifying to the consummate skill of Patan’s anonymous artists. The ancient palace of the Malla kings and the stone waterbaths associated with various legends and episodes of history are especially interesting to visitors. The stone temple of Lord Krishna and the Royal Bath (Tushahity) with its intricate stone and bronze carvings are two other masterpieces in the same vicinity.
Hiranya Varna Mahavibar
Hiranya Varna Mahavibar-This three-storeyed golden pagoda of Lokeshwar (Lord Buddha) was built in the twelfth century A.D. by King Bhaskar Varma. Located in the courtyard of Kwabahal, this temple belongs to a class of its own. A golden image of Lord Buddha and a big prayer wheel can be seen on the pedestal of the upper part of the Vihar while intricate decorative patterns, worked out on its outer walls, add charm to the mellow richness of the shrine.
Kumbeshwor Temple
Kumbeshwor temple in Patan and Nyatapole temple in Bhaktapur are the only temples in the Valley with five roofs, with the exception of the round five tiered Pancha Mukhi Hanuman of Kathmandu’s Hanuman Dhoka Palace. This temple of Lord Shiva was built during the reign of King Jayasiddhi Malla. Later a golden finial was added to it. A religious fair is held here on the janai Poornima day in August
Jagat Narayan Tepmple
Jagat Narayan temple is a tall Shikhara-style temple consecrated to Lord Vishnu. The temple is built out of the red bricks on the bank of the Sagmati at Sankharnul and enshrines many stone images. The fine metal statue of Garuda placed on a stone monolith is quite eye-catching along with similarly placed images of Ganesh and Hanuman
Krishna Mandir
Krishna Mandir built in the seventeenth century, the temple of Lord Krishna holds a commanding position in the palace complex of Patan. It is suposed to be the first specimen Shikhara style architecture in Nepal. It is the only temple in Nepal having 21 spires and is completely made of stone
Mahaboudba
Mahaboudba temple is a masterpiece of brick and tile. Like the Krishna Mandir, it reveals an art tradition which evolved outside of Nepal; it also shows that the native craftsmanship of the Nepalese can do proper justice to any art form. This temple was built by Abhaya Raj, a priest of Patan and is sometimes referred to as the temple of a million Buddhas because every single brick depicts a small image of Buddha an astonishing total of nine thousand bricks. It was levelled to the ground in the great earthquake of 1933 but was rebuilt exactly to the original specifications, thus proving that templecraft is still one of the living arts of Napal.
Rudra Varna Mahavihar
This unique Buddhist monastery complex contains an amazing collection of five images and statues in mental , stone and wood. Many Kings in ancient times were crowned in this monastery. Many of the treasures offered by the devotees can be seen here even today.
Achheswor Mahavihar
It was established towards the beginning of the 6th century to house an idol of Lord Buddha. The Mahavihar was reconstructed not too long ago. It has altogether 30 rooms in this complex including, “Dhyankuti” research room, Training room, library and review room guest room and so on. Situated behind the ashoka Stupa at Pulchowk, the Mahavihar commands a beautiful view of Kathmandu Valley.
Machchhendranath Temple
Machchhendranath temple of Machchhendranath is another centre of attraction in Patan. The temple lies in the middle of a wide spacious quadrangle just at the outer rim of the market place. A fine clay image of Avalokiteshwar or red Machchhendranath is housed here for six months every year after which it is taken round the city of Patan in a colourful chariot festival beginning in April-May and lasting sometimes for several months, (see festival section).
Tibetan Camp
The Tibetan Camp is an attraction of a different kind is the Tibetan Camp on the outskirts of Patan. The small Tibetan population living here has set up a number of shrines and stupas as well as several souvenir shops offering authentic Tibetan handicrafts such as prayer wheels of wood, ivory, silver or bronze, long temple horns made of beaten copper, belt buckles, miniature thunderbolts and jewellery. In this area, one can also see the Tibetans weaving carpets by hand.
The Ashokan Stupas
There are four ancient stupas popularly believed to have been built in 250 B.C. by Emperor Ashoka at the four corners of Patan. The four stupas are situated in Pulchowk, Lagankhel, Ebahi and in Teta respectively. These stupas give evidence to the city’s ancient religious importance.
Machhendranath and Minnath
The pagoda of Red Machhendranath built in 1408 A.D. is situated in Tabahal. For six months the deity is taken to its other shrine in Bungmati. The temple of Minnath is situated in Tangal on the way to Tabahal.
Godavari
Situated at the foothill of Pulchowki this place has a splendid natural beauty. The road from Patan city runs to Godavari passing through the small, old towns of Harisiddhi, Thaiba and Badegaon. Godavari is a very good picnic spot with the only Royal Botanical Garden in Nepal. Fish Hatchery and a marble quarry also are located here. It is open daily including Saturday and government holidays. Buses of Godavari are available at Lagankhel.
Phulchowki
located around 10 km of Southeast of Patan, this mountain, 279m high, is good spot for hiking. Rhododendorns of different varieties and colours from pure white to dark red are found here. A Buddhist Shrine is situated on the top of the hill which can be reached through a jeepable road.
The zoo
The zoo is situated at Jawalakhel in Patan. There are many animals, birds and reptiles, mostly representing the Himalayan fauna. There is a beautiful pond inside it built by King Siddhi Narsingh Malla in 17th century. It is open daily from 10:00 am to 5 pm.
Patan industrial estate
Patan industrial estate is located at Langankhel in Lalitpur District near Satdobato. This industrial state is well known for Nepali handicrafts such as wood carving, metal crafts, carpets, thanka painting. It is very interesting to see how these goods are made in the different workshops. For the convenience of the tourists, there is shopping arcade with in the premises of the industrial Estate where various handicraft products of the Estate are exhibited and sold.
source
