The "Big Temple" of Tanjore built by the great king Rajaraja chozha was known as Rajarajeswaram.After the fall of cholas, Nayaks and Marathas ruled the place and the name was changed to "Brihadeeswara temple". Now the temple is a UNESCO world heritage monument and is protected and maintained by ASI.
It took six years to construct this massive structure.Construction was completed in the year 1010 AD.The architectural intricacies of the temple and the sculptures and arts survived a millennium.
Temple is famous for its architectural beauty. The Shiva lingam and the Nandi statue are carved out of single stone. Height of the temple is 216 feet and the top portion of the vimanam is a single granite block weighing 81 tonnes.This block is said to have been drawn by elephants on a specially constructed 6 km long ramp and placed on its granite platform.
This temple is one of India's most prized architectural sites
Click here for a virtual tour of Tanjore Big Temple
