Shore Temple

Dating back to 8th century AD, the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram is located on the sea shore and houses three shrines: one of Lord Vishnu and two of Lord Shiva. The temple has been constructed like a pyramid by the Pallava rulers. It has a Dravidian-style vimana measuring 60 feet high in basaltic rock and rests on a 50 feet square platform. A prismatic Shiva Lingam is on the sea-facing sanctum and Lord Vishnu is seen reclining on the ground in his chamber at the back. Being the oldest, five storeyed structural temples in India, Shore Temple has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. More than a temple, however, it is seen as an artwork.