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Founded in the 5th century A.D., Nalanda is known as the ancient seat of learning. World's most ancient University lies in ruins which is 62 kms from Bodhgaya and 90 kms south of Patna. Emperor Ahoka built many monastries, temples and Viharas here.
Though Buddha visited Nalanda several times during his lifetime, this famous centre of Buddhist learning shot to fame much later, during 5th-12th centuries. Hiuen Tsang stayed here in 7th century and has left detailed description of the excellence of education and purity of monastic life practiced here. 2,000 teachers and 10,000 students from all over the Buddhist world lived and studied in this first residential international university of the world. The Gupta kings patronized these monasteries, built in old Kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard. Ashoka and Harshavardhana were some of its most celebrated patrons who built temples and monasteries here. Recent excavations have unearthed elaborate structures here. Hiuen Tsang had left ecstatic accounts of both the ambience and
 architecture of this unique university of ancient times. An International Centre for Buddhist Studies was established here in 1951. Nearby is Bihar Sharif, where an annual ‘urs’ is celebrated at the Dargah or tomb of Malik Ibrahim Baya. Baragaon, 2 km away has a sun temple, famous for Chhath puja. To be visited are Nalanda museum & Nava Nalanda Mahavihar in addition to the great ruins.
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