A stairway of stone guardians climbs this temple, each pair said to be ten times stronger than the one below, from wrestlers up to goddesses.
About Nyatapola Temple
Nyatapola was built in 1702 under King Bhupatindra Malla of Bhaktapur, dedicated to a tantric goddess. Its name refers to its five storeys. Renowned for its engineering, the temple survived the devastating earthquakes of 1934 and 2015 with little damage while many surrounding buildings collapsed, a result of the skill of its Newar builders and its carefully balanced, tapering form.
Nyatapola Temple
The Nyatapola Temple in Bhaktapur is the tallest temple in Nepal, a soaring five-storey pagoda rising gracefully above the city's Taumadhi Square. Built in the early 18th century, it is celebrated for its perfect proportions, its richly carved struts, and the remarkable fact that it has survived major earthquakes that toppled many lesser structures around it.
“The Nyatapola Temple in Bhaktapur is the tallest temple in Nepal, a soaring five-storey pagoda rising gracefully above the city's Taumadhi Square.”
Nyatapola Temple, Nepal
Guarded by Ever-Stronger Figures
A steep stairway leads up to the temple, flanked by pairs of stone guardian figures, each said to be ten times more powerful than the pair on the step below. At the bottom stand two legendary wrestlers, above them elephants, then lions, then griffins, and at the top two goddesses, each guardian an order of magnitude stronger, ascending toward the deity enshrined within. The temple's stable, tapering design helped it withstand the earthquakes of 1934 and 2015 largely intact.
The Experience
The path goes up the dramatic stairway past the ascending pairs of guardian figures to the base of the towering pagoda, admiring its tiers of carved wooden struts and its commanding presence over Taumadhi Square. The temple anchors one of Bhaktapur's most beautiful squares, surrounded by cafes and traditional architecture. Its scale, artistry and survival through disaster make it the icon of the city.
Why It Matters
Nyatapola is the tallest and one of the most celebrated temples in Nepal, a masterpiece of Newar pagoda architecture and engineering. Its survival through major earthquakes and its symbolic stairway of guardians make it a centrepiece of Bhaktapur, a UNESCO-listed city of extraordinary heritage.
Why Visit
The tallest temple in Nepal, a graceful five-storey Bhaktapur pagoda guarded by a stairway of ever-stronger stone figures and famed for surviving great earthquakes.
Insider Tips
- 1
Climb past the guardian figures, each said stronger than the last.
- 2
Note the temple survived the 1934 and 2015 earthquakes.
- 3
Enjoy the cafes around Taumadhi Square at its base.
- 4
Allow a full day to explore the wider Bhaktapur.
