Description of the attraction
The small settlement of Pattadakal, which is located in the state of Karnataka on the coast of the Malaprabha River, despite its modest size, is known all over the world thanks to the unique temple complex that is located on its territory.
Once Pattadakal was a large city - the capital of the South Indian empire of Chalukya. Then it was called, according to the preserved written sources of that time, Kisuvolal - the Red City. It was during that period, in the 7th-8th centuries, that the famous temples were built. In total, ten religious buildings were created on the territory of the city, among which one can distinguish the Hindu temples of Virupaksha, Sangameshvara, Mallikarjuna, Kashivisvanatha, Kadasiddhesvara, Jamblingesvara, Galganatha, as well as one Jani temple. Four of them are made in the Dravidian style, which is traditional for the southern part of India, four - in the nagar style, which is more inherent in northern India, and one more embodied both of these styles.
The largest and most famous is the Virupaksha temple, which was created by order of Queen Lokamahadevi in the distant 745 in honor of one of the military victories of her husband Vikramaditya II over the powerful Pallava dynasty and the capture of Kanchi. The building is an architecturally complex multi-tiered structure with three entrances (north, east, south), several halls, including the main sanctuary. The temple is decorated with a large number of columns and sculptural compositions. Its walls are covered with geometric and floral designs.
In 1987, the Pattadakal temple complex was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
