Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas

Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Location	Karnataka, India
Includes	Chennakeshava Temple, Belur Hoysaleswara Temple, Halebidu Keshav Temple, Somanathapura
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iv
Reference	1670
Inscription	2023 (45th Session)

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas is a group of three Hoysala-style temples in South India recognized as a World Heritage Site. These temples at Somanathapura, Belur and Halebidu, were built between the 12th and 13th centuries under the Hoysala Empire.^[1] The three temples under the title of the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2023, for their outstanding architecture, hyper-realistic sculptures and stone carvings.^[2]

The architectural style of the three temples was developed by the early Hoysala rulers – who established their new kingdoms and regimes in South India – as a distinctive and innovative sacred architecture, which distinguishes the temples from contemporary kingdoms and dynasties.^[3][4] These temples are as follows:

• Chennakeshava Temple in Belur (built by King Vishnuvardhana).
• Hoysaleswara Temple in Halebidu (built by King Vishnuvardhana).
• Keshav Temple in Somanathapura (built by Somanatha under King Narasimha III).