Great Living Chola Temples:UNESCO World Heritage Site

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Great Living Chola Temples

India

 

N10 46 59 E79 07 57

ref: 250bis

 

 

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Date of Inscription: 1987

Extension: 2004

Criteria: C (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)

 

Brief Description

Two great Chola Temples of the 11th and 12th centuries have been

added to the 11th century Brihadisvara temple of Thanjavur, inscribed

in 1987. The Great Living Chola Temples were built by kings of the

Chola Empire, which stretched over all of South India and the

neighbouring islands. The site now includes the three great 11th and

12th century Chola Temples: the Brihadisvara temple of Thanjavur, the

Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram and the Airavatesvara temple at

Darasuram. The Temple of Gangaikondacholisvaram, built by Rajendra I,

was completed in 1035. Its 53-m vimana (sanctum tower) has recessed

corners and a graceful upward curving movement, contrasting with the

straight and severe tower at Thanjavur. It has six pairs of massive,

monolithic dvarapalas statues guarding the entrances and bronzes of

remarkable beauty inside. The Airavatesvara temple complex, built by

Rajaraja II, at Darasuram features a 24-m vimana and a stone image of

Shiva. The temples testify to the Cholas brilliant achievements in

architecture, sculpture, painting, and bronze casting.

 

Justification for Inscription

 

Criterion (i): The three Chola temples of Southern India represent an

outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of

the pure form of the dravida type of temple.

 

Criterion (ii): The Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur became the first

great example of the Chola temples, followed by a development of

which the other two properties also bear witness.

 

Criterion (iii): The three Great Chola Temples are an exceptional and

the most outstanding testimony to the development of the architecture

of the Chola Empire and the Tamil civilisation in Southern India.

 

Criterion (iv): The Great Chola temples at Thanjavur, at

Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram are outstanding examples of the

architecture and the representation of the Chola ideology.

 

 

Notes

The "Brihadisvara Temple, Tanjavur", which was previously inscribed

on the World Heritage List, is part of the "Great Living Chola

Temples".

 

Documents

Decision 28COM 14B.32

http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/&id_decision=115

Report of the 11th Session of the Committee

http://whc.unesco.org/archive/repcom87.htm#250

Periodic Reporting Section II

http://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/cycle01/section2/250.p

df

 

http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=250