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| An aerial view of the Brihadishvara Temple Source - Tamil Nadu Tourism Calendar 2025 |
Fascinating facts about the Brihadishvara temple which was designated as a World UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987:
This temple in Thanjavur dedicated to Shiva features a 216-foot (66-meter) tall vimana (tower) above the sanctum, making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. This was an extraordinary engineering achievement for the 11th century.
The cupolic dome or kumbam at the top of the vimana is carved from a single granite block weighing approximately 80 tons. Historians believe it was transported up a specially built ramp from 4 miles away.
An intriguing aspect of the temple's vimana is that its shadow reportedly never falls on the ground at noon, a testament to the architectural mastery of its builders.
In 2010, the temple celebrated its 1000th anniversary, as it was completed around 1010 CE by Raja Raja Chola I.
Despite its massive size, the temple uses no binding material—the granite blocks are interlocked through architectural techniques rather than mortar.
The Nandi (bull) statue facing the main shrine is carved from a single stone and stands about 12 feet high and 20 feet long.
The temple contains pillars that produce musical notes when tapped.
The interior walls contain remarkable 11th-century Chola-era fresco paintings that have survived for a millennium.