The town of Belur is located in the state of Karnataka, approximately sixty miles northwest of Mysore.
Belur, like its sister site, Halebid, is renowned for a beautiful collection of temples constructed by the Hoysala dynasty, who governed western Karnataka from the 11th to 13th century C.E.
- The temples at both locations were made of a specific kind of stone known as chlorite schist, steatite, or soapstone, which was soft when first mined but hardened with exposure to the air.
- The stone's early malleability made carving easier and allowed for the rich detail seen in Hoysala temples.
- These temples include a central hall that connects three star-shaped sanctuaries, as well as temple towers (shikharas) that are constructed of clearly-defined horizontal tiers rather than the continuous upward sweep typical of northern Indian Nagara architectural style.
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