Naw Bahar
| Naw Bahar | |
|---|---|
| Type | Buddhist monasteries |
| Location | Balkh, Ghor Province, Afghanistan |
| Built | Second century CE (possibly earlier) |
| Built by | Potentially founded by Kushan emperor Kaniska |
| Demolished | Damaged during various conflicts |
The Naw Bahar Persian: نوبهار; lit. 'New Monastery') were two Buddhist monasteries close to the ancient city of Balkh in northern Afghanistan. Historical accounts report it as flourishing as an important centre of Buddhism between the seventh and eleventh centuries CE. It may have been founded considerably earlier, perhaps in or after the reign of the Kushan emperor Kaniṣka, in the second century CE.
Nava Vihara has been described as the "Nalanda of Central Asia".