The Shore Temple which is on the banks of the Bay of Bengal is one of the main attractions of Mahabalipuram. Its beautiful structure is an architectural marvel, which depicts the ancient finesse of art.
The Shore Temple which was built during 700 - 728 AD has stood the test of times. Once a busy village port of Mahabalipuram is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tamil Nadu.
Shore Temple is built using the granite stones and it is one of the oldest stone temples in South India. It is one of the famous structural stone temples which has stood strong over the years.
Shore Temple was named as 'Seven Pagodas' due to its pyramidal structure. The name 'Seven Pagodas' indicate to the existence of 7 temples in the past. Now only Shore temple remains to tell the tales of the past.
The construction of Shore Temple was started by Pallava ruler Narasimhavarman II. Later, Cholas built the additional parts of the temple after invading the Mamallapuram from the Pallavas.