Construction of Konark Sun Temple

The Konark Sun Temple is a thirteenth-century Hindu temple on the coast of Odisha in eastern India, dedicated to the sun god Surya. It was built under King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga dynasty and is designed as an enormous chariot of the god, drawn by seven horses and set on twenty-four carved stone wheels, which also function as sundials. The walls are covered with detailed sculptures, which include dancers, musicians, animals and many erotic figures. Much of the main tower has collapsed, but the surviving structures are among the finest examples of Odisha architecture. Europeans called it the Black Pagoda, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Open on the timeline