Sri Brihadisvara Temple

The rice bowl of Tamil Nadu, Tanjavur, is a bustling country town, 55 km east of Trichy. Tanjavur rose to glory, during the later Chola reign, between the 10th and 14th centuries, and became a centre of learning and culture. It is also the headquarters of the district of the same name.

Tanjavur is well known for its traditional handicrafts - art plates, bell metal castings, silk carpets, pith work, bronze icons, and classical Indian musical instruments. Out of the 74 temples, the finest is the Sri Brihadeswara temple.

What to See

Sri Brihadisvara Temple

Built by the great Chola king, Raja Raja I in the 10th century AD, this temple is an outstanding example of the Chola architecture. Guarding the inner shrine of the temple, is the gigantic statue of Nandi, the Bull, while the walls of the sanctum are covered, with the wall paintings of Chola and Nayak periods, comparable to the famous Ajanta cave frescoes.

Tanjavur Palace

The Palace

The Palace, adjacent to the temple is a vast structure of fine masonry, built partly by the Nayaks around 1550 AD, and partly by the Marathas.

Saraswathi Mahal Library

This library has one of the most important oriental manuscripts collections, in India. Established around 1700 AD, the library contains a collection of over 44,000 palm leaf, and paper manuscripts in Indian and European languages. Over eighty per cent of its manuscripts are in Sanskrit, many on palm leaves, some very rare or even unique. The Tamil works includes treatises on medicine, and commentaries on works from the Sangam period.

Tamil University

Established in 1981, the university is engaged in research and advanced study in Tamil.

Art Gallery

A superb collection of bronze statues from the 9th to 12th centuries.