"A land of temples", as Tamil Nadu is better known enchants divinity. There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu. The temples were constructed by various dynasties. Tamil Nadu is the home of the legacy of ancient Dravidian art and culture, characterised best by deliberately ornate temples with their towers known as gopurams which aspire to touch the heaven.
These temples bear a superficial architectural resemblance with each other in that they share the similar physical features,which include the gopuram or the imposing tower over the entrance, from all four directions the vimanam which is the tower over the sanctum and the spacious halls and corridors. The temples were also much more than a place of worship. They were a place for social gathering, for education, for celebration.

Temple Architecture
Tamil Nadu, the holy land, is the land where temple architecture grew with innovation. The Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar rulers and the Nayakas have made worthwhile contributions to temple art in Tamil Nadu.
Thousands of temples with rising towers touch the skyline of the entire state of Tamil Nadu. The Tamils have been the most innovative temple builders. Temples from the pre Christian era as well as those from the 20th century exist in this state, where the ancient rulers have made outstanding contributions to the growth of these monuments of great artistic value. The spectacular architecture of these temples indeed inspires architectural innovation.