About Hoysaleshwara Temple

Hoysalesvara Temple is a magnificent Hindu temple located in Halebidu, dedicated to Lord Shiva and built during the Hoysala Empire in the 12th century. The temple is famous for its exquisite architecture, exquisite carvings and rich cultural heritage that highlights the speciality of Hoysala architectural skills.

Construction of this temple started around 1121 AD and was completed in 1160 AD. Later, Halebidu was twice sacked and pillaged by Muslim soldiers from the Delhi Sultanate from northern India, leaving the temple and capital ruined and desolated, but it bounced back into normality later. One interesting fact about the Hoysalesvara Temple is that it was built to compete with the Channakesava Temple, which was under construction.

What is the speciality of the Hoysaleshwara Temple?

Hoysalesvara temple is renowned for the best ambience that will make you feel as if you have travelled to the ancient world. And because of that, it has been reorganised as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is made of soapstone and has intricate carvings on its walls, pillars and ceiling. The attention to detail in the statues and bones depicting various mythological stories, gods, goddesses, animals and celestial bodies will be astounding. The exterior of the temple is decorated with ornate friezes depicting scenes from the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Entry \ Darshan time: 6.30 am – 9.30 pm.

Best time to visit: November to March

Festivals in Hoysaleshwara Temple:

Hoysala Mahotsava

Dress code: Tourists are advised to be in long dresses to maintain the decorum of the temple.

How to Reach Hoysaleshwara Temple?

Bangalore airport is the nearest to reach Hoysalesvara Temple. The drive from Bangalore airport to Hoysalesvara Temple covers about 230 km.