Bhagwan Bahal (Vikramashila Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Thamel, central Kathmandu
Claimed to be the oldest monastery in the Kathmandu Valley, rebuilt by the great Indian master Atisha in 1041 CE and home to a 7-foot gold statue and a priceless Prajnaparamita manuscript.
Ha Bahal (Ratnakar Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Mangal Bazaar, Patan
Ratnakar Mahavihar (Ha Bahal) is one of Patan's most significant bahals — the official residence of the living Kumari goddess of Patan, with exclusively Vajracharya membership.
Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Patan Durbar Square area
Patan's celebrated Golden Temple — a 12th-century Newar Buddhist bahal sheathed in gilded copper, with a rotating boy priest and an 800-year-old Prajnaparamita manuscript.
Yetakha Bahal (Bhaskarakirti Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Near Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, accessible via lane from Maju Dewal toward Naradevi
Home to the oldest known wooden torana in the Kathmandu Valley (radiocarbon-dated 900-1030 CE) and stunning yaksha struts — a vast monastery courtyard hiding in plain sight near Durbar Square.
Bhinche Bahal (Mayurvarna Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Central Patan, near Pilache Bahal
One of the 18 principal mahavihars of Patan, the 'Peacock-colored Monastery' is a well-preserved example of the traditional bahal pilgrimage circuit.
Bu Bahal (Yashodhar Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Gabahal, Patan
An ancient monastery named after Yashodhara, wife of the Buddha, historically notable as founded by a converted Brahmin reflecting the Valley's fluid religious boundaries.
Chatur Varna Mahavihar
- Faith
- Syncretic
- In
- Near Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Bhaktapur's most visited mahavihar near Durbar Square, built in 1492 with a fascinating mix of Buddhist and Hindu guardian figures.
Chilancho Bahal (Jagat Pal Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Kirtipur
A stunning hilltop Buddhist stupa and monastery in Kirtipur attributed to Emperor Ashoka, formally established as Jagat Pal Mahavihar in 1515 CE — one of the most archaeologically important Buddhist monuments in the Kathmandu Valley.
Chusya Bahal (Gunakar Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Jyatha, near Kantipath
A well-preserved 17th-century monastery built by a Nepal-Tibet trader, one of the finest surviving examples of traditional Newar Buddhist monastic architecture in Kathmandu.
Co Bahal (Kacchapal Giri Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Patan Old City
Kacchapal Giri Mahavihar (Co Bahal) is one of the 18 traditional bahals of Patan — the 'Tortoise Mountain Monastery', completing the sacred network of Newar Buddhist courtyards.
Cuka Bahal (Chakravarna Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Patan Old City
Chakravarna Mahavihar (Cuka Bahal) is one of Patan's 18 principal bahals, believed to have been founded by the Licchavi king Manadeva I in the 5th century.
Dau Bahal (Dattanama Mahavihar)
- Faith
- Buddhist
- In
- Patan Old City
Dattanama Mahavihar (Dau Bahal) is one of the 18 traditional bahals of Patan, a Buddhist monastery courtyard preserving centuries of Newar heritage.