It was built during the Buddhist religious Pāla dynasty between the end of the 8th century AD and the beginning of the 9th century AD, who ruled the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, which include Bengal and Magadha, territories of present-day Bangladesh and India. This huge structure was conceived as part of a network; an interrelated group of Buddhist learning institutions.

The so-called Mahaviharas, among which was Somapura Mahavihara, were centers of knowledge and study for Buddhism, something like universities. It was an important intellectual center not only for Buddhists, but also for Jains and Hindus. The outer walls with ornamental terracotta plaques still show the influence of these three religions.

The enormous enclosure was formed by a traditional Buddhist stupa in the center, around which a total of 177 individual rooms were lined up around the entire perimeter, which in turn formed a quadrangular wall, used by the monks for meditation and rest. Between the cells and the central stupa, a large patio where other stupas, temples and buildings were raised that allowed the monastery to function as a small city.

All these buildings were once decorated with bas-reliefs and paintings, some of which are still preserved. In addition to the large number of stupas and shrines of various sizes and shapes, terracotta plaques, stone sculptures, inscriptions, coins, and ceramics have been discovered that show their incredible beauty.

Its decline coincided with the weakening of the Pāla dynasty around the 11th century and the dominance of other dynasties, which would maintain the initial structure, but making Hindu and Jain additions. In this way, the vihara declined in importance until it was finally abandoned in the 13th century when the region passed under Muslim domination.

Its impressive ruins, after a long period of abandonment, began to receive restoration work starting in the 1930s, intermittently but constantly, up to the present day. Several excavations were discovering, decade after decade, details that accounted for the size and importance of the site.

Many studies also conclude the lack of a structure that would complete the great central stupa, elongated and pointed, and that would make Somapura Mahavihara even more impressive. So much so that there can be no doubt that this style of architecture has greatly influenced buildings in Burma, Java or Cambodia with its simple, harmonious lines and profuse sculpted ornamentation.

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