Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas

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. 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.

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. 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).