| Olakkannesvara Temple | |
|---|---|
 Olakkannesvara Temple | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| District | Kancheepuram district |
| Deity | Shiva |
| Location | |
| Location | Mamallapuram |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Shown within Tamil Nadu | |
| Geographic coordinates | 12°37′00″N 80°11′30″E / 12.6167°N 80.1917°E |
| Architecture | |
| Type | Dravidian Architecture |
| Creator | Pallava Kingdom |
| Completed | Early 8th century |
| Temple(s) | 1 |
The Olakkannesvara Temple ("flame eye";[1] commonly Olakkanatha; also known as, "the Old Lighthouse")[2] is in Mahabalipuram town, overlooking the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal in Kancheepuram District in Tamil Nadu, India. Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple is a structural temple.[3] Built in the 8th century,[2] it is situated directly above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa on a hillock which provides scenic views of the town. As the area is within a high security zone because of a nuclear power station a few kilometres to its south, photography is prohibited.[4] The Olakkannesvara Temple is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Mahishasura temple. It is dedicated to an incarnation of Shiva.[5] It is one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.[6]
- ^ Sivaramamurti, C. (1978). Mahābalipuram. Director General, Archaeological Survey of India. p. 18. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ a b "Olakkannesvara Temple". Brigham Young University.
- ^ "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram". UNESCO. 15 October 1982. p. 3.
- ^ Singh, Sarina; Karafin, Amy; Mahapatra, Anirban (1 September 2009). South India. Lonely Planet. pp. 411–. ISBN 978-1-74179-155-6. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ Ward, Philip (1991). South India: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa : a travel guide. Oleander. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-900891-31-1. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
- ^ "Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram". UNESCO. Retrieved 3 March 2007.