Kumbheswar Stupa

It stands in Lalitpur (Patan) in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley, a city celebrated for its Newari architecture. The wider valley, including Patan Durbar Square, is a UNESCO World Heritage area.

Its exact construction date is uncertain, but stupas in Patan are traditionally linked by local belief to the visit of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BC. Newari restorations over the centuries have shaped the monument you see today.

The area is associated with the Kumbheswar Temple complex, one of Lalitpur's important Shiva temples with its multi-tiered pagoda-style shrine. Patan Durbar Square, the city's famous royal plaza, is also within the old city.

As an active religious monument in a living neighborhood, it can generally be visited, and locals practice the customary clockwise circumambulation around stupas. Dress modestly and ask before photographing worshippers.