Swayambhunath

Temple Nepal, Nepal

Swayambhunath (meaning "self-arisen") is an ancient religious complex located atop a hill in the Kathmandu Valley west of Kathmandu City. It is also known as the Monkey Temple due to the numerous monkeys that inhabit the site. For Buddhists this temple plays a primary role and is probably one of the holiest places of pilgrimage. The Swayambhunath complex consists of a stupa and numerous temples, some of which date back to the Licchavi period, to which a Tibetan monastery and a library were added later.

Much of Swayambhunath's iconography comes from the Vajrayana tradition of Newari Buddhism, but the complex is important to every tradition and plays an important role for Hindus as well.