Chennakesava Temple, Belur

The old temples of Karnataka’s Hassan district are an architectural wonder. And the town of Belur is home to one of the gravndest 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.

It took a long 103 years to complete and is adorned with some of India’s most celebrated sculptures. You’ll find many other temples belonging to the Hoysala Empire in Belur, as their capital was located there before its downfall from Mughal attack in the 14th century.