Great Temples of Tamil Nadu 7

Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram. The Shore Temple (built in 700-728 AD) stands against the background of the Bay of Bengal. It belongs to a period when the constructional style of the Pallavas was at its peak in decorative beauty and intrinsic quality. Its pyramidal structure is 60 feet high and sits on a 50-feet square platform. There is a small temple in front, which was the original porch. It is made of finely cut local granite. One of the group of monuments at Mahabalipuram, it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the oldest structural (versus rock-cut) stone temples of South India