Presided over by snow-covered mountains, the Kathmandu Valley is surrounded by verdant agricultural hills scattered with traditional villages and brick houses, rich in ancient holy temples and shrines used by both Buddhist and Hindu worshippers, reflecting a great wealth of culture and tradition. Most of Nepal's ethnic groups are represented in the Valley, particularly in Kathmandu itself, but it is the Newars who are the original inhabitants, responsible for much of the splendid art and architecture in the cities.