Amruteshwara Temple, Amruthapura

Amruteshwara Temple at Amruthapura, built in 1196 CE by the Hoysala commander Amruthapa Dandanayaka under King Vira Ballala II, is one of the finest single-towered Hoysala temples. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva as Amruteshwara and features a single-shrine plan with an impressive shikhara that has survived largely intact.

The temple is celebrated for the quality and variety of its sculptural panels — the carvings of dikpalas (guardians of directions), celestial damsels, and scenes from the epics are executed with remarkable precision. The inner hall's lathe-turned black stone pillars are particularly impressive. A hidden gem of the Hoysala circuit, it sees far fewer visitors than the big three UNESCO sites.