The Boudha Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world and the spiritual heart of the Tibetan Buddhist community in Nepal. The white hemisphere, perhaps 40 metres in diameter, is topped with a gilded spire bearing the watchful eyes of the Buddha. Around the base, 147 niches hold statues and prayer wheels — to complete the kora (circumambulation) you spin each wheel as you pass, an act of merit that takes 15 or 20 minutes at a slow walk.
The stupa was badly damaged in the 2015 earthquake and has been carefully restored. Morning kora, from around 6 to 8 am, is the most atmospheric time: monks in saffron and maroon robes, Tibetan grandmothers with prayer beads, and pilgrims from across the Himalayan world circle the dome with an unhurried devotion that you do not see in more tourist-orientated sites. The ring of cafes and restaurants on the rooftops around the stupa makes it easy to sit and watch for an hour.