Rato Machhendranath Temple

It is believed that Rato Machhendranath Temple is the place where the patron of God, Rato Macchendranath or Matsyendranath spent most of his life. Rato Machhendranath was said to have been moved from Bungamati to Patan several times, which is central to the most famous rituals in Kathmandu. The place where the deity resided, Shikhara, was unfortunately destroyed during the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. Nevertheless, this attraction is a must-visit for tourists since it truly represents the culture of Bungamati.

The most famous festival here is the Machhendranath festival which takes place during April and May. This temple, created in 1673, has a protected metal fence with 4 doorways that are protected by stone lions on the ground floor. Yeti like demons can be found carved in the corners of the temple. In front of the temple premises, one can also find metal structures of animals such as a Garuda, a snake, fish, a lion, a horse and a buffalo.