Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas

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The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas: A Testament to Ancient Indian Architecture

The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, stand as a testament to the rich cultural heritage and architectural prowess of ancient India. Located in the southern region of the subcontinent, this serial property comprises three exemplary Hoysala-style temple complexes: Somanathapura, Belur, and Halebidu. These structures, constructed between the 12th and 13th centuries during the reign of the Hoysala Empire, showcase a unique blend of contemporary and traditional elements that set them apart from neighboring kingdoms.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

This serial property encompasses the three most representative examples of Hoysala-style temple complexes in southern India, dating from the 12th to 13th centuries. The Hoysala style was created through careful selection of contemporary temple features and those from the past to create a different identity from neighbouring kingdoms. The shrines are characterized by hyper-real sculptures and stone carvings that cover the entire architectural surface, a circumambulatory platform, a large-scale sculptural gallery, a multi-tiered frieze, and sculptures of the Sala legend. The excellence of the sculptural art underpins the artistic achievement of these temple complexes, which represent a significant stage in the historical development of Hindu temple architecture.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (i): The creation of the Hoysala style of temple architecture and the artistic achievement of the sculptural art of the temple complexes are exceptional testimonies to the outstanding creativity and inventive genius of the Hoysala people, as expressed in the combination of the stellate temple plan with a platform, frieze, thematic arrangement of the sculptures along the circumambulation, and profusion of hyper-real sculptures over the entire architectural surface.

Criterion (ii): The Hoysala-style temple form, motivated by the need for establishing a distinct identity, was the successful outcome of the interchange of human values that developed as the result of creative modifications of the plans and elements of the temple architecture prevalent elsewhere, complemented with original innovations. It emerged from the considered and informed choices of elements and features found in other parts of the Indian subcontinent, selected in very conscious ways with a clear understanding of the desired outcome. The Hoysala-style, as demonstrated by the property, exerted a lasting influence on later temple construction in the region and beyond.

Criterion (iv): The Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas are an exceptional testimony to the Hoysala-style temples, which illustrate a significant stage in the historical development of Hindu temple architecture. It is an exceptional physical testimony to the diversity of religious architecture in India.

Encyclopedia Record: 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.

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