Tamil Nadu

Thanjavur

As the sun rises over the lush paddy fields, Thanjavur comes alive, its rich cultural tapestry woven from the threads of history and spirituality. This city in Tamil Nadu's heartland has long been a magnet for travellers seeking a deeper connection with India's storied past. From the vibrant sarees and traditional dhotis that dot the landscape to the intricate architecture that speaks to the region's complex heritage, Thanjavur is a place where the senses come alive. Whether you're drawn to the sacred rhythms of its music and dance or the majestic grandeur of its ancient temples, this is a city that rewards curiosity and invites you to linger in its timeless charm.

Brihadeeswara Temple

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Lutheran Mission Church

Kothandaramar koil

Kodi Amman Kovil

Sacred Heart Cathedral

Punitha Anthoniyar Chruch

Rev. Schwartz Memorial Church

Grace Assembly of God Church

Tanjai Mamani Koil DivyaDesam

Sri Rajagopalaswamy Temple

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Why Thanjavur is famous

•A Shaiva city named from a Vaishnava story: One source: legend has it the city is named after a DEMON CALLED THANJAN, KILLED BY VISHNU HERE. Wikipedia gives Thanjai and the former Tanjore, and calls it the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu.

Notable people associated with Thanjavur

Rajaraja I · Built the temple, 1003-1010; named it after himselfRajendra Chola I · Built the gangaikonda cholapuram temple, Completed 1035Rajaraja II · Built the airavatesvara temple at darasuramSerfoji II · Maratha scholar-king, 1798-1832; built the library's collectionRev. C. V. Schwartz · German or danish missionary; serfoji's tutorRaghunatha Nayak · Started the royal library as saraswati bhandarVenkoji · First maratha king of thanjavur; built punnainallur mariamman, 1680S R Balasubrahmanyam · Historian; author of middle chola temples (1975)Madhava swami · Painter, Dated 1824Charles Le-Brun · French painter whose physiognomy charts are held here

AI-drafted from general knowledge — may contain mistakes.

History at a glance

Legend
The city is said to be named after a demon, Thanjan, killed by Vishnu here.
Disputed
Some hold that an earlier temple stood on this site, mentioned in the Thevaram. S R Balasubrahmanyam (1975) says this cannot be conceived as true.
AD 985-1012
The reign of Rajaraja I.
1003-1010 CE
The Brihadisvara temple is built in granite, blocks brought from some 50 km away.
AD 1009-10
Rajaraja inaugurates the temple in his 19th regnal year and names it RAJESVARA PERUVUDAIYAR — after himself.
1010 CE
Consecration. Rajaraja presents a GOLD FINIAL for the top of the vimana. The inscriptions are engraved ON HIS ORDERS WHILE HE SAT IN THE ROYAL BATHING HALL on the east side of his palace.
1035
Rajendra I completes the temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, with a 53-m vimana of recessed corners and a curving upward movement.
12th century
Rajaraja II builds the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram, with a 24-m vimana.
1798-1832
The reign of Serfoji II, who learned English, French, Italian and Latin under Rev. Schwartz and employed pandits to collect and copy manuscripts from across northern India.
Nayak period
The Nayaks rule from 1535. A royal library, SARASWATI BHANDAR, is started under Raghunatha Nayak. Nayak painters overlay the Chola frescoes in the temple's hollow sanctum walls.
1675
The Marathas take Thanjavur and continue developing the royal library until 1855.
1680
Venkoji, the first Maratha king of Thanjavur, builds the Punnainallur Mariamman temple about 7 km from Brihadisvara.
1799
The British annex most of the Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. The Marathas continue to hold the palace and fort.
1779
A church is built beside the Siva Ganga tank by Rajah Serfoji for his tutor, Rev. C. V. Schwartz, a Danish missionary.
1824
The painter Madhava swami's work appears in Marathi translations of the Mahabharata and Bhagavatham held in the library.
1918
The library is made public and becomes a possession of the state of Tamil Nadu.
1987
The Brihadisvara temple is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 11th Session, criteria (ii) and (iii).
2004
The site is extended to include Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Darasuram, becoming the GREAT LIVING CHOLA TEMPLES.