Places to Visit

• Brahadeeswarar Temple - it is also called as 'Big Temple', which was built by King Raja Raja Chola. It is an architect's marvel & is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites. The main shrine of this temple is Lord Brahadeeswarar (Shiva). The shiv Linga of Brahadeeswara is probably the grandest in existence. Big Temple stands tall with its beaming tower. It's one of the architectural wonders of the world. The Massive Nandhi measures 25 tons weight. This is the second biggest Nandhi in India. It will take 1 hour to visit this place.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera and Still Camera	Holidays
6.00am to 1.00pm & 4.00pm to 8.00 pm	No Fees	No	No

• Palace - it is 1 Km from the temple & it was built by Nayaks around 1550 AD and partly by Marathas. The total area of the palace is around 10 acres. The palace has huge corridors, spacious halls, observational and arsenal towers and shady courtyards. Now inside the palace, King Saroboji Saraswathi Mahal Library, Art Gallery and Sangeetha Mahal are situated.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera and Still Camera	Holidays
9.00am to 1.00pm & 2.30pm to 5.30 pm	Foreigner Rs.30 Indian Rs.7	Rs.30	-

• Saraswathi Mahal Library - The Saraswathi Mahal Library was started between the intervals of 1535 AD and 1673 for the Royals of Nayaks and the library was expanded by the Maratha kings between 1673 AD and 1855. Specifically during the kingdom of Saroboji II, thousands of books were got placed. And the library has collections of rare and illustrated manuscripts in Indian and European languages. The palm leaf manuscripts go beyond 20,000 in number. The rare Sanskrit books in the library were collected by the King Saroboji from various places of the western side of India and hence the name Saroboji.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera and Still Camera	Holidays
9.00am to 1.00pm & 2.00pm to 5.00 pm	No	Not Allowed	National Holidays

• Art Gallery - the art gallery occupies the Nayak Durbar Hall. It has a collection of Bronze statues and stone statues of Cholas ranging from the12th to 15th centuries.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera and Still Camera	Holidays
9.00am to 1.00pm & 3.00pm to 6.00 pm	Foreigner Rs.30 Indian Rs.7	Rs.30/-	Government Holidays

• Maratha Durbar Hall - The splendid Maratha Durbar Hall, built by Shahji II in 1684 has elaborately decorated pillars, walls and ceilings. The Durbar Hall now houses the Rajaraja Museum and Art Gallery with an impressive collection of bronze and stone idols dating from 7th to 20th centuries.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
10.00am to 1.00pm & 2.00pm to 5.00 pm	Foreigner Rs.50 Indian Rs.10	Rs.100/- / Rs.50/-	Government Holidays

• Sivagangai Garden - It is a beautiful park. It is located to the North of the Big Temple. It has a good collection of beautiful flowers, birds and animals.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
10.00am to 1.00pm & 2.00pm to 5.00 pm	Rs.3/-	Rs.20/-	Government Holidays

• Tamil University - It is established in 1981. The university is engaged in advanced study and research in Tamil. It has a collection of coins and musical instruments.

 

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
6.00am to 10.00 pm	No	Not Allowed	-

 

Fairs and Festivals

• Thiruvaiyaru Music Festival - About 14 kms from Thanjavur, a Carnatic classical music festival (Thiyagarajar Aradhana) is celebrated at Thiruvaiyaru in the month of January. It is celebrated in honor of the Carnatic music saint, Thiyagarajar. He is one of the Trinity of Carnatic Music. The Thiyagarajar Aradhana festival is being celebrated in many places all over the world. However, the Aradhana festival at Thiruvaiyaru is much valued.

• Pradosham is grandly celebrated every month in the Big Temple. It is believed that all the Devas & Gods are assembled in the Siva temples during Pradosham time. Pradosham falls once in every 15 days and considered most auspicious by Saivites, almost 2 days before either Amavasya (new moon day) or Pournami (full moon day).

• Birth Anniversary of King Raja Raja Chola is celebrated as 'Sadhaya Vizha' at Tanjore Brahadeeswarar Temple every year during his birth star Sadayam which falls in the Tamil month of Iyppasi (October).

• Dance Festival - Festival of dance and music held in the Brahadeeswarar temple every 2nd and 4th Saturdays of a month (evening time).

Day Excursions from Tanjore

• Tanjore - Velankanni - Tanjore

  Velankanni is a small town, located on the shores of Bay of Bengal. Velankanni is famous for Roman Catholic church, dedicated to ' Our Lady of Good Health'. It is 100 Km from Tanjore & will take 2 ½ hours drive.

 

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
6.00am to 10.00 pm	No	Not Allowed	No

• Tanjore - Tranquebar - Tanjore

  Tranquebar is 120 Km from Tanjore. Tranquebar is also known as Tarangambadi, which means 'Place of the singing waves'. Tranquebar is a panchayat town in Nagapattinam district. It is about 100 km south of Pondicherry near the mouth of a distributory of River Cauvery. It was a Danish colony in India from 1620 - 1845.

  • Tranquebar Beach - Tranquebar beach is a sea side village, where the Danish merchants settled for trade. A beautiful Governor's palace is on the right of the beach, which tells us the past. It is an ideal shore for Sun and tans our skin.

  • Fort - A Danish navy officer built this fort in 1620 A.D. It is called as Dansborg Fort. It is still standing like a rock. It is just 100m away from the sea shore. The fort consists of two levels. The Rooms adjoining the Rampart wall at the lower level were used as godown, prison as well as rest area for the soldiers. The upper level was used for the residence of the Governor and the Priests. The monument is declared historically important under the Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act of 1966.

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
10.00am to 2.00pm & 3.00pm to 6.00 pm	Indian Rs.5/- and Foreigners Rs.50/-	Rs.100/- / Rs.50	Fridays and Government Holidays

• Tanjore - Gangaikondacholapuram - Tanjore Gangaikondacholapuram is 75 Km from Tanjore & 35 Km from Kumbakonam. The city was founded by Rajendra Chola to commemorate his victorious march to the Ganges. The name means - The Town of the Chola who captured Ganges. The temple which is found here is a replica of Brahadeeswara Temple in Tanjore. It was built by Rajendra Chola son of Raja Raja Chola. The Shiva Lingam in the temple is the biggest in South India. The inner sanctum always remains temperature controlled. It remains cool during summer and warm during winter. There are 42 Chola style sculptures on the roof as well as in the walls. The best time to visit this place is winter. It is located in between Chidambaram and Kumbakonam.

 

Time to Visit	Entrance Fees	Video Camera / Still Camera	Holidays
7.00am to 12.00pm & 4.00pm to 8.00 pm (for inner sanctum)	No	No	No