[PL]
Swajambhunath / Swayambhunath (स्वयम्भूनाथ स्तुप), zwany czasem również Świątynią Małp (Monkey Temple), jest jednym z najstarszych miejsc kultu religijnego w Nepalu. Ten duży zespół hinduistycznych i buddyjskich obiektów sakralnych zlokalizowany jest około trzy kilometry na zachód od centrum Katmandu, na szczycie wzgórza wyraźnie wyrastającego ponad resztę okolicy. Przy dobrej pogodzie rozciąga się stąd ciekawy widok na całe miasto i część okalającej go doliny, a w oddali dojrzeć można podobno białe ściany Himalajów.
[ENG]
Swayambhunath, is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. According to the Gopālarājavaṃśāvalī Swayambhunath was founded by the great-grandfather of King Mānadeva (464-505 CE), King Vṛsadeva, about the beginning of the 5th century CE. This seems to be confirmed by a damaged stone inscription found at the site, which indicates that King Mānadeva ordered work done in 640 CE.
However, Emperor Ashoka is said to have visited the site in the third century BCE and built a temple on the hill which was later destroyed.
Although the site is considered Buddhist, the place is revered by both Buddhists and Hindus. Numerous Hindu monarch followers are known to have paid their homage to the temple, including Pratap Malla, the powerful king of Kathmandu, who is responsible for the construction of the eastern stairway in the 17th century.
The stupa was completely renovated in May 2010, its first major renovation since 1921 and its 15th in the nearly 1,500 years since it was built. The dome was re-gilded using 20 kg of gold. The renovation was funded by the Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center of California, and began in June 2008.
The temple complex suffered damage in the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.