Thanjavur - தஞ்சாவூர்

The Brihadeeswara Temple here is one of the best temples in South India, built by Chola emperor Raja Raja I (958-1013 AD). This is the Chola dynasty,s finest contribution to Dravidian art. The construction is unique; the vimanam, known as Dakshina Meru, soars high the gopuram remains stunted. The 64.8-metre-tall, 14-tier and pyramind-shaped vimanam rises from a square base and is topped by huge monolithic cupola weighing 81.3 tonnes. The shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground. Brihadeeswara is agigantic Lingam (about 8.7 metras high). There is a massive nandi at the portals of the tenple. It is the second largest monolithic Nandi in the country, next pnly to the colossal Bull at the Lepakshi Veerabhadra temple in Andhra Pradesh.
The divine consort, Brihannayaki, is in a separate shrine. The shrine of Lord Suburamanya is an exquisite piece of decorative art. There are excellent sculptures of Siva in different forms and other gods and goddesses besides several interesting Chola paintings Thanjavur is the most important city of Chola Nadu in the fertile Cauvery Delta.