Changu Narayan Temple

The Changu Narayan Temple crowns a hilltop in Bhaktapur district east of Kathmandu in Nepal, and is dedicated to Vishnu in his Narayan form. Tradition places its foundation in the fourth century; a legend derives its name from Champak, daughter of a Kashmiri king given in marriage to a prince of Bhaktapur.

Its most treasured monument is a Sanskrit pillar inscription set up by the Lichhavi king Manadeva, who ruled from 464 to 505, one of the earliest surviving inscriptions in the country and a key source for early Nepalese history. The temple was repeatedly restored after fires and earthquakes, and its courtyards gathered metalwork, woodcarvings and sculptures spanning many centuries of Nepalese art.