Historical Monuments in Thanjavur

Thanjavur, also known as Thanjavur, is an ancient city in Tamil Nadu and rich in culture, heritage and spirituality. It is also famous for the unique Thanjavur-style paintings and its dancing dolls.

Located in the Kaveri delta region, Thanjavur is also known as the ‘rice bowl’ of Tamil Nadu. Home to a number of heritage temples and other culturally-significant monuments, the city is also famous as a tourist destination. A trip to Thanjavur should include a visit to the following monuments:

Brihadeeswarar temple

Also known as the ‘Big temple’, it is located central to the city and has the tallest temple tower in the world. This huge temple is an architectural marvel and one of the main attractions of the city.

Manora Fort

Standing at a height of 75 feet, this hexagonal-shaped fort has eight storeys and is another attraction for tourists.

Vijayanagar Fort

This is a large complex that houses the Thanjavur Palace, Sangeeth Mahal, a library and an amazing art gallery. This huge fort was built partly by the Nayaks and partly by the Maratha rulers around the 15th century and also includes the well-maintained Sivaganga Gardens. This garden includes a huge rectangular water tank used for drinking purposes.

Saraswathi Mahal Library

Enlisted as the most remarkable library in India, its origins can be traced back to the 16th -17th century when it was built by the Nayak rulers and further expanded by the Maratha King Serfoji II. It is home to one of the largest collections of ancient manuscripts, maps and paintings. There are many outstanding papyrus manuscripts amongst its treasures. The public library museum is quite popular because of its great depictions of ancient sages, saints, gods, birds and animals as well as weapons and wars.

Schwartz Church

One of the oldest churches in India, this church is unique as the foundation stone was laid by a Hindu king, Serfoji II. It stands tall and white in the Sivaganga gardens and was built by the king for his dear friend Rev. Friedrich Schwartz. It’s a quaint and peaceful building with a vintage charm abounding on the premises.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram

This town was the capital of the Chola Empire for 2 centuries and is rich in grandeur and glory. It offers the visitor great opportunities to explore its heritage.

There are numerous other spiritually-significant temples here for those visiting Thanjavur. The city is well-connected by good roads and railways and neighboring Trichy provides air connectivity. You could stay over at the centrally-located Sangam Hotel here and enjoy the true heritage of Thanjavur