Gopuram

Common card · No. 264243

A gopuram or gopura is a monumental, usually ornate entrance tower of a Hindu temple in the Dravidian architecture of South India and Sri Lanka. In other parts of India, temple entrance towers are generally more modest, whereas in the South, the gopuram is often the tallest structure in the temple complex and taller than the vimana tower over the main shrine. They also appear in temple design outside India, such as the Khmer architecture in Southeast Asia. Gopurams function as gateways to the temple complex and their interiors are essentially empty, though they may be used for storage. Typically multi-storeyed, their upper tiers repeat lower-level features on a rhythmically diminishing scale. Their exterior surfaces are adorned with intricate sculptures and detailed ornamentation. The sculptures are usually brightly-painted plaster. They are crowned by one or more kalasams, which are bulbous metal or stone finials. Their design and construction follow the classical rules laid down in Vaastu...

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