The Brihadishwara Templealso known as Rajarajeswaram, at Thanjavur, is the world’s first complete granite temple and a brilliant example of the major heights achieved by Cholas in temple architecture. It remains as one of the greatest glories of Indian architecture. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Great Living Chola Temples”

The ‘Vimana’ – or the temple tower – is 216 ft (66 m) high (about 70 meters) and is among the tallest of its kind in the world. The Kalash or ‘Shikhara’ (apex or the bulbous structure on the top) of the temple is of monolithic granite weighing 81.25 tons… (wikipedia)

sunset

my hotel in Thanjavur