Lumbini

Located in the southern part of Nepal, Lumbini is the birthplace of Sakyamuni Buddha. Emperor Ashoka in the area where Buddha was born erected Ashokan Pillar in 249 BC. The inscription on the pillar is Nepal's oldest and grants those in Lumbini tax-free status to honor the birth of Buddha. In the city, there are Buddhist temple ruins that date back to around the 2^nd century BC to 900 BC., as well as modern temples of which one is in Tibetan style. Other buildings such as Dharma Swami Maharaja Temple built by the king that ruled Mustang are also in the city. The government of Nepal constructed Lumbini Buddha Vihar. A Japanese Peace Stupa is a huge structure that is 41 meters high at the northern end of the city. Lumbini Museum has a number of artifacts from the Kushana and Mauryan periods and religious manuscripts. The city only has a few hotels but they are very well kept and there are a number of fine restaurants to choose from.