Sprawling over several acres of land on the western banks of the river Hooghly (Ganga), it is a place of pilgrimage for people from all over the world, professing different religious faiths. Even people not interested in religion come here for the peace it exudes. Sanctified by Swami Vivekananda, and several other illumined monks, the Belur Math premises include the main monastery, several temples and the Headquarters of the twin organizations of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission. The Ramakrishna Order stands as a symbol of the eternal truths of religion tested and embodied by Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda and their message of harmony of religions, divinity of the soul, renunciation and service.

Free from bigotry and sectarianism, rational and modern in outlook, the Math and the Mission are committed to the task of ushering in a new age in which distinctions of caste, creed and class do not exist, we reach fullness in God, and all our activities are carried out as an act of worship. The aim is the regeneration of the entire humanity.

The Ramakrishna Order of monks which came into existence in 1886 with the blessings of Sri Ramakrishna was originally housed in an old dilapidated building at Baranagore. It was subsequently moved to two other places before finally being established at the present site at Belur (now known as Belur Math) by Swami Vivekananda.

The last was a place which belonged to a person named Nilambar Mukherjee and known as Nilambar Mukherjee's Garden-House. It stands on the banks of Ganga south of the Math. Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi stayed here several times before Belur Math came into existence. Since the Ramaksishna Math was located in this house from 13th February 1898 to 1st January 1899 before it was permanently shifted to the present premises, it is now known as the Old Math. The consecration of the Math was performed by Swami Vivekananda on 9th December 1898 and the monastery was housed at this place from January of the following year.