Sri Meenakshi Amman temple

Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in India.

The central point of city is temple and the city was planned around the temple. When the city is viewed from the top of the temple tower , it looks like Lotus flower with long petals.

The architect of the city is that it has got four squares. Each square implies the names of Tamil months in tamil year calendar namely Adi, Chithirai, Avani, Masi and Veli.(last square where Madurai Railway Junction is located)

All the squares have been named as there face all the directions (For eg: Masi -South Masi, East Masi, and so on)

There are four massive gateways enclosing these two shrines one for Sundareswarar and one for Mennakshi amman.

The temple complex covers 15 acres, and has 4,500 pillars and 14 towers.

The temple has four Rajagopurams or majestic towers, there are other small five towers on top of the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord, three on top of the sanctum sanctorum of the Goddess and two golden towers or gopurams, All fourteen towers have been segregated based on the stages they are,
• Nine tier gopurams – four
• Seven tier, Chittiraigopuram – one
• Five tier gopurams – five
• Three tier gopurams – two
• Golden gopurams – two

A striking feature of the temple is the astonishing structure known as “Ayiramkaal Mandapam” or the Hall of Thousand Pillars and each pillar features high, ornate, bold sculptures that look life like. View from any angle these pillars appear to be in a straight line, an architectural masterpiece indeed In the outermost corridors are situated the matchless musical pillars carved out of stones. When it is tapped, each pillar produces different musical note.

Holy Tank:
This pond is situated within the temple complex. The devotees take holy dip.

. It was here, that the plank of Sangam appeared and established greatness of the moral text called Thirukkural.