Is NEAR Protocol built on Ethereum?

Excuse me, I'm trying to understand the architecture of various blockchain protocols and I'm particularly interested in the NEAR Protocol. Could you clarify something for me? Is the NEAR Protocol built on the Ethereum blockchain? I've heard some people discussing it as if it's a layer-two solution or a sidechain, but I'm not entirely sure. Could you enlighten me on this matter? It would be greatly appreciated if you could provide a brief overview of how the NEAR Protocol fits into the broader cryptocurrency and finance ecosystem, especially if it's not directly related to Ethereum. Thank you for your time and expertise in this field.