Kathmandu is also known as "the city of temples", which is situated in a bowl shaped valley, surounded by 10,000 feet high mountains. It is the capital of the kingdom of Nepal. It is said that the valley was once a big lake, which was created by Manjushree, who cut open the southern hill of Chovar to drain all the water. According to one of
the legend, it is said that the valley was named after "Kastha-Mandap" (kastha means wood and Mandap means temple in Sanskrit) an imposing pagoda near Hanuman Dhoka palace, which was built out of a single tree in 1596 by King Laxmi Narshingha Malla.
The valley is full of historic, artistic and cultural interests with the visibility of the peaks of majestic Himalaya from several parts. You can find uncountable numbers of ancient golden pagoda temples and shrines throughout the valley with lots of inspiring Hindu and Buddhist dieties. Here you can find four out of the total ten world heritage sites in Nepal, which are as Pashupatinath temple (one of the most sacred hindu temple in the world), Kathmandu Durbar Square and two of the most sacred Buddhist monastries in the world as; Swyambhunath Stupa and Boudhanath Stupa (Asia's one of the biggest).
The city is the most advanced one in Nepal, and is full of comforts and joy. With better medical services and cheaper transportations, you can also find numbers of luxury hotels, bars, restaurants, cashinos and shopping sites in the capital. Shopping could be one of the quite good experience for those who like unusual antique souvenirs along with the bronze casting and metal works, thanka paintings, hand made rugs, wooden crafts, Nepali paper (Lokta, Khosta and rice) prints and crafts and readymade garments.
