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Photo: Original: Rainer Halama Derivative work: UnpetitproleX, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
This is the most important place to see in Thanjavur. This is a must-see. One can enjoy the architecture of the whole temple and also the cute little garden in the temple's backyard. Dedicated to Shiva, the temple is built by Rajaraja Chola I. Hundreds of lingams are in the pillared cloister. The sanctum sanctorum has a huge Shiva lingam, an immense stone Nandi, and two live elephants to bless the pilgrims.
Brihadisvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil and Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the south bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture. It is also called Dakshina Meru. Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Great Living Chola Temples", along with the Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple, which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.
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Main temple of the complex)