History

The Vidyashankara temple is located in the Sringeri, Chikmagalur district, Karnataka. The Vidyashankara temple was built in commemoration of the pontiff Vidyashankara, around in the 14th century 1357-58 C.E.. is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built by Vidyaranya, patron-saint of Harihara and Bukka, the brothers who founded the Vijayanagara empire. The niches in the temple have a number of sculptures from Hindu mythology. The temple stands almost at the entrance to the River Tunga and is an architectural marvel. It is a unique monument built entirely of stone combining both Hoysala (Chalukya) and Dravidian architectural styles.