Changu Narayan

The 4th-5th century Vishnu temple complex on the Changu hill in Bhaktapur district, Nepal, 20 kilometres east of Kathmandu — one of the oldest Hindu temples in Nepal, holding the Changu Narayan inscription of King Mandeva (464 CE), the oldest dated inscription in Nepal. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu as Changu Narayan, with 10 avatars sculpted in the temple compound. The surrounding sacred complex preserves the 5-century Garuda idol kneeling before Vishnu, the Vishvarupa image showing Vishnu's cosmic form, and over 300 stone sculptures from the Lichhavi (4-9th century) and Malla (12-18th century) periods. The temple survived the 2015 Nepal earthquake with moderate damage; the 2017 restoration was completed by the Nepal Department of Archaeology. UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979 as part of the Kathmandu Valley inscription.