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HeritageUNESCO World Heritage Site
Shore Temple
AddressMahabalipuram (Mamallapuram), Chengalpattu District
Managed byArchaeological Survey of India (ASI)
Today's hoursOpen today 6 AM – 6 PM
Tickets fromFrom ₹40
TypeHistoric Building
Location
About
Built around 700-728 CE under the Pallava king Narasimhavarman II, the Shore Temple is among the oldest structural stone temples in South India, standing directly on the Bay of Bengal shoreline. Its twin spires — one dedicated to Shiva, the other to Vishnu — have withstood over 1,300 years of sea winds and salt-spray erosion.
Did you know? Locals long spoke of temple spires visible beneath the waves offshore, dismissed as legend — until the 2004 tsunami temporarily pulled back the sea and briefly exposed stone structures on the seabed, lending new credibility to tales of a submerged "Seven Pagodas."
Opening hours
| Mon–Sun | 6 AM – 6 PM |
Tickets
Adult Indian
₹40Facilities
RestroomGuideShopWheelchair Access (Level ground near the shore)Parking