Meenakshi Amman Temple is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the
Vaigai River in the temple city of
Madurai,
Tamil Nadu,
India. It is dedicated to
Parvati, known as
Meenakshi, and her consort,
Shiva, here named Sundareswarar. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500-year-old city of Madurai and is a significant symbol for the
Tamil people, mentioned since antiquity in
Tamil literature though the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655
CE. It houses 14
gopurams (gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower, high, and two golden sculptured
vimanas, the shrines over the
garbhagrihas (sanctums) of the main deities. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day, around 25,000 on Fridays, and receives an annual revenue of 60 million. There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "
New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city. The annual 10-day Meenakshi Tirukalyanam festival, celebrated during April and May, attracts 1 million visitors.