Photos

An aerial view of the Himalayas with windswept Mount Everest in the center. The mountain falls on the Nepal-China border and is shared by both countries.

Aerial view of some of the Himalayas with Mount Everest in the distance.

Dramatic aerial view of a valley in the Himalayas. Note the terracing on the hillsides.

The capital and largest city of Nepal, Kathmandu, occupies much of the valley located near the center of the country. Nepal is home to much of the Himalaya mountain range between Tibet (China) to the north and India to the south. Geological and fossil evidence indicates that the Kathmandu Valley was covered by a large lake between approximately 2.8 million and 10,000 years ago. Paleo-Kathmandu Lake is thought to have drained in phases due to the drying of the regional climate; continuing mountain building-tectonic uplift and faulting-in the region; and the formation of an integrated drainage system, as river channels cut through previous rock ridge dams. The green, vegetated slopes that ring the Kathmandu metro area (light gray, image center) include both forest reserves and national parks. The metropolitan area is relatively flat compared to the surrounding mountains. Tribhuvan International Airport, near the eastern margin of the city, is the only international airport in Nepal. Archeological evidence suggests that the human development of Kathmandu, together with the nearby "sister cities" of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, began almost 2,000 years ago. Today, the three cities form the governmental, cultural, and-as a main access point to the Himalayas for tourism-economic center of the country. Photo courtesy of NASA.

A view of temples in the area of Durbar Square in the historic center of Kathmandu, capital of Nepal. This photograph was taken before the devastating earthquake of 2015, during which many of these buildings were severely damaged or destroyed.

A building and statue in Durbar Square, Kathmandu.

A shrine to Shiva and Parvati in Durbar Square, Kathmandu.

Kumari Ghar building that houses the Kumari Devi, a pre-pubescent girl considered a living goddess, next to Durbar Square, Kathmandu (2005).

Boudha is a stupa (dome shaped Buddhist shrine) in Kathmandu. Its massive mandala symbolizes the Buddhist cosmos. Four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center. The five Buddhas also personify the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), which are represented in the stupa's architecture. The Boudha Stupa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The eyes of Buddha gaze out over the dome of the Boudha in Kathmandu.

A mask shop in Kathmandu.

Carved wooden exterior facades are common on Kathmandu buildings and homes.