★ UNESCO
World Heritage
World Heritage
📷 Rahul Pandit · Pexels
Where in the world
India
Konark Sun Temple
Ancient India (Gupta) · India
Field notes
- civilizations
- Ancient India (Gupta)
- types
- Temple
- built
- 1,201 CE
- occupied
- 1,201 CE — 1,250 CE
- visitors
- 3,576,348 / year
- country
- India
The site
The Konark Sun Temple is a thirteenth-century Hindu temple on the coast of Odisha, India, attributed to king Narasingha Deva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty around 1250 CE. Dedicated to the sun-god Surya, the surviving complex takes the form of a colossal 30-meter chariot with immense stone wheels and horses. Once over 61 meters high, much of it now lies in ruins, yet its intricate carvings mark the pinnacle of Kalinga architecture.