Rudravarna Mahabihar || The oldest monastery of Patan
Located at a short walk through narrow streets from Patan Durbar Square is the Rudra Varna Mahavihar. This is one of Patan's oldest Buddhist monasteries. Adjacent to the monastery there is a temple that contains a fine image of Lord Buddha. The courtyard of this temple is like a gallery of different bronze and stone art works. Popularly believed, though not scholastically endorsed to have been built by Ashoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, these stupas' stand at four different corners of Patan giving the whole city a monastic character. All these Buddhist mounds were built around 250 A.D. at the time when Buddhism was making headway to the Kathmandu Valley.
