Hoysaleswara temple, also referred simply as the Halebidu temple, is a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is the largest monument in Halebidu, a town in the state of Karnataka, India and the former capital of the Hoysala Empire. The temple was built on the banks of a large man-made lake, and sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala Empire. Its construction started around 1121 CE and was complete in 1160 CE.
Hoysaleswara temple at Halebidu
The Hoysalesvara temple was one of the first to be properly surveyed in Karnataka between 1801 and 1806. After the invention of photography, it was one of the earliest to be photographed in British India. These show neglect and scattered ruins.
12th century Halebid Shiva temple plan annotated
A Nandi shrine (left) facing the sanctum of the main temple
Halebidu is a town located in Hassan District, Karnataka, India. Historically known as Dwarasamudra, Halebidu became the regal capital of the Hoysala Empire in the 11th century CE. In the modern era literature it is sometimes referred to as Halebeedu or Halebid as the phonetic equivalent, a local name after it was damaged and deserted after being ransacked and looted twice by the forces of the Turko-Persian Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century.
Hoysaleshwara temple, Halebid – the most studied temple in the town
Hoysaleshwara temple
One of the three major Jain temples, Halebid
Kedareshvara temple