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Brihadeeswarar Temple

Religious and Sacred Buildings

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The Brihadeeswarar Temple, called Rajarajesvaram by its builder and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil, is a Shaivite Hindu temple in the Chola architectural style on the south bank of the Cauvery River in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. One of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture, also called Dakshina Meru, it was built by the Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE and forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Great Living Chola Temples, together with the Chola era Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara temples, about 70 and 40 kilometers to its northeast.

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Built by Rajaraja I in 1010 CE at Thanjavur, the archetype of Chola dynasty temple building and part of the UNESCO "Great Living Chola Temples" listing.

The Chola-era Thanjavur temple of 1010 CE, a peak achievement of Dravidian temple architecture.

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