One among the most ancient monuments and the oldest after the temple of Taleju Bhawani located in Bhaktapur Durbar Square, this temple was founded by King Yakshya Malla in front of his palace during his reign as the King of Nepal Mandal while Bhaktapur was the Capital city. The temple architecturally replicates the Pashupatinath temple of Devpatan Kathmandu. The erotic images carved on the tudals of the first roof of this temple are found to be artistically excellent. After King Yakshya Malla’s death a committee comprised of the two princes of the king, their relatives and some courtiers was formed and this committee fixed two historical gold plates in the years 605 NS and 607 NS. This temple is considered to be a grand structure built in Nepali pagoda style. Besides the artistically carved tudals, the temple is also famous for its copper water spouts, shaligrams, terracotta structure, stone four faced shivalinga, artistic ankhijhyals and huge doors fixed on all four faces.
भक्तपुर दरवार क्षेत्रमा रहेका सम्पदाहरुमा तलेजु भवानी पछाडि पुरानो सम्पदामा यो मन्दिर पर्न आउँछ । नेपाल मण्डलको राजधानी भक्तपुर छँँदा राजा यक्ष मल्लले आफ्नो दरबार अगाडि यो मन्दिर बनाउन लगाएको मानिन्छ । काठमाण्डौ देवपतनको पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिरकै प्रतिकको रुपमा यो मन्दिर स्थापना भएको भनाइ सुन्न पाइन्छ । जुन मन्दिरको पहिलो तल्लाका टुँडालहरु कलाको दृष्टिकोणले उत्कृष्ट मानिन्छ । राजा यक्ष मल्लको मृत्युपछि उनका छोरा तथा अन्य नातेदार तथा भारदारहरुको गुठी बनाई ने.सं. ६०५ र ने.सं. ६०७ मा राखेका दुई स्वर्णपत्रहरु प्रमुख ऐतिहासिक पत्रहरु हुन् । वि.सं. १९९० सालको भूकम्पपछि तथा २०५५।५६ सालतिर यो मन्दिरको जीर्णोद्धार भएको थियो । २०८२/८३ मा पनि यो मन्दिर जीर्णोद्धार भएको छ । नेपाली छाने शैलीमा दुई तल्ले यो मन्दिर उत्कृस्ट मानिन्छ । काष्ठकलाका उत्कृष्ट टुँडालहरु बाहेक तामाको जलहरी, शालिग्रामहरु, दाँचि अप्पा, शिलाको चर्तुमुखी शिवलिंग, कलात्मक मल्लकालीन आँखी झ्याल तथा बडेमानका चारै दिशाका ढोकाहरु यो मन्दिरको महत्वपूर्ण सम्पदाहरु हुन् ।
