page_title: Architecture of Tamil Nadu
section_title: Pandyan architecture
hierarchical_section_title: Architecture of Tamil Nadu / Pandyan architecture
caption_attribution_description: English: An aerial view of Madurai city from atop of Meenakshi Amman temple. Landscape at the horizon is not original and has been badly photoshopped.
context_page_description: Nearly 33,000 ancient temples, many at least 800 to 2000 years old, are found scattered all over Tamil Nadu. As per Tamil Nadu Hindu Endowments Board, there are 38615 Temples. Most of the largest Hindu Temples reside here. Studded with complex architecture, variety of sculptures, and rich inscriptions, the temples remain the very essence of the culture and heritage of Tamil land, with historical records dating back to at least 3,000 years.
  The state also abounds with a large number of temple tanks. The state has 2,359 temple tanks located in 1,586 temples. and also confluence of many architectural styles. From ancient temples to the Indo-Saracenic style of the colonial era, churches, mosques to 20th-century steel and chrome of skyscrapers.
context_section_description: After the close of the Sangam age, the first Pandyan empire was established by Kadungon in the 6th century by defeating the Kalabhras, The empire ruled AD  (6th – 10th century).
  Rock cut and structural temples are significant part of pandyan architecture. The Vimana and mandapa are some of the features of the early Pandyan temples. Groups of small temples are seen at Tiruchirappalli district of Tamil Nadu. The Shiva temples have a Nandi bull sculpture in front of the maha mandapa. In the later stages of Pandyas rule, finely sculptured idols, gopurams on the vimanas were developed. Gopurams are the rectangular entrance and portals of the temples. Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai and Nellaiappar Temple in Tirunelveli were built during the reign of the Pandyas.
caption: An aerial view of the Meenakshi Amman Temple
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