Monkeys Of Swayambhunath Temple - Kathmandu, Nepal Stock Photo

The Swayambhunath Monkey Temple is a historic religious complex on a high hill in the Kathmandu Valley, west of Kathmandu city. Swayambhu is among the oldest religious sites in Nepal. The historical complex consists of a stupa, and a variety of shrines and temples. Swayambhunath stupa is also called the “Monkey Temple” because of the hundreds of monkeys who live at the temple site. Monkey temples can be found throughout South and Southeast Asia, where primates play a role in Hindu and Buddhist culture. Macaque species, because they can thrive in human-altered environments, are the primates most often associated with temples.