Brihadeeswarar Temple Historical Facts and Pictures

Brihadeeswarar Temple, also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil, Thanjavur Periya Kovil, Rajarajeswaram and RajaRajeswara Temple, is one of the best examples of Tamil architecture during the time of the Chola Dynasty, currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the “Great Living Chola Temples”. Located at Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore) in Tamil Nadu, India, the temple was built by Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola I who dedicated it to the Hindu God Shiva.
The emperor laid the foundation for what would later be the illustrious RajaRajeswara Temple in 1002 CE while the construction work was completed in around 1010 AD. Raja Raja Chola I constructed this grand temple to comply with a command he received in a dream. Built in the Dravidian architectural style, it was the very first of all the great Tamil Chola construction projects. The fortified walls surrounding the temple were built much later, probably in the sixteenth century.

Brihadeeswarar Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple Images

Brihadeeswarar Temple Pictures

Brihadeeswarar Temple

Brihadeeswarar Temple Inside

Brihadeeswarar Temple Inside

Inside of Brihadeeswarar Temple

The Brihadeeswarar Temple is one of the largest and oldest temples in the country, being over 1000 years old. The main temple tower or vimana is 216 feet high, considered the tallest in the world among all towers of its kind. The huge bulbous structure (the Kumbam or Kalasha) at the top of the temple has been curved out of one 80-ton heavy stone. The sculpture of Nandi (the sacred bull in Hindu religion) at the entrance measures around 16 ft long and 13 ft high.