Chennakesava Temple
Chennakesava Temple
The old temples of Karnataka’s Hassan district are an architectural wonder. And the town of Belur is home to one of the grandest examples of Hoysala architecture, the Chennakesava Temple (Also Chennakeshava).
The temple was built in the early 12th century by the Hoysala ruler, Vishnuvardhana, when the town of Belur was the site for the capital of the Hoysala kingdom.
The Hoysalas ruled the region for more than three centuries and to this day people from all over the region flock to the Chennakesava Temple, Belur to admire the intricate works of art and sculpture and feel the old-world spiritual charm of the site.
The Chennakeshava Temple was a centrepiece of the Hoysala kingdom and it is believed to be closely related to the military achievements of the king who commissioned it in 1117 AD, King Vishnuvardhana. The king had fought wars with the Western Chalukyas and had also defeated the Cholas. The temple was built after the land’s best architects and artists were recruited and engaged in producing new designs and styles that would be the hallmark of the complex.
The temple was built in the early 12th century by the Hoysala ruler, Vishnuvardhana, when the town of Belur was the site for the capital of the Hoysala kingdom.
The Hoysalas ruled the region for more than three centuries and to this day people from all over the region flock to the Chennakesava Temple, Belur to admire the intricate works of art and sculpture and feel the old-world spiritual charm of the site.
The Chennakeshava Temple was a centrepiece of the Hoysala kingdom and it is believed to be closely related to the military achievements of the king who commissioned it in 1117 AD, King Vishnuvardhana. The king had fought wars with the Western Chalukyas and had also defeated the Cholas. The temple was built after the land’s best architects and artists were recruited and engaged in producing new designs and styles that would be the hallmark of the complex.