Hoysala Temple Architecture

Timeline

1. 1171–1174Belur · KarnatakaHoysala craftsmen adopted multi-pointed star outlines for temple plans, with bases stepping inward tier by tier and ringed with relief bands; walls were built of soapstone with dense carving positions reserved on the façade, framing later mythological narrative scenes.
2. c. 1175–1178Chennakeshava Temple, Belur · KarnatakaAround 1175, porches, colonnades, and outer walls were covered with fine stone carvings of Vishnu, Lakshmi, and epic scenes; drapery, jewelry, and animal motifs reached a very high level of finish, establishing Hoysala temples as a vehicle of South Indian visual art.
3. 1178–1180Halebidu (capital Dvarasamudra) · KarnatakaProjects such as the Hoysaleswara Temple around the Hoysala capital Halebidu continued the tradition of star-shaped bases and dense relief; the style spread to temples across Karnataka under royal patronage, influencing later South Indian religious architecture aesthetics.