The height of temples in India is decided by the height of their gopurams or shikharas or vimanas, that sit like Indian-style spires above the temple. The vimana and shikharas are over the main sanctum and the gopuram forms the gateway to the temple. This listing of 10 temples have the tallest towers associated with the main temple structure.
When this temple, dedicated to Lord Krishna, is completed, probably in 2026, it will reach 700 ft, making it likely the tallest religious structure in the world at that time and eventually with grounds larger than Vatican City. At the moment that honour is being held by the cathedral at Ulm, Germany that is over 529 ft tall.
Built by the Bundela Rajputs in the 16th century, the Orchha temple, with its soaring 344-foot vimana, blends ancient Nagara architecture with Mughal influences. It is dedicated to Lord Ram.
Commissioned by the Birla family and constructed between 1931 and 1966, the temple honours Lord Shiva and mirrors the design of the original Kashi Vishwanath Temple, but its vimana is 250 ft.
India's largest temple complex, initiated in 1700 AD and completed in 1987, spread across of 156 acres, is plenty tall too. It sports 12 gopurams, with the Raja Gopuram being the tallest at 238.5 ft.
Known for its colossal 40-m high statue of Lord Shiva, theMurdeshwar temple’s gopuram is the second tallest in India at 237 ft and uniquely features an elevator to the top floor. Its construction finished in 2008.
Renowned for its annual Rath Yatra, the Puri temple with a 217-foot vimana, built in the 11th century, is for Lord Jagannath, an avatar of Lord Vishnu and is a significant pilgrimage site.
Sprawling through 10 hectares at Tiruvannamalai, the mandir is another very large shrine of India from the 9th century. It features four large unpainted gopurams, with the eastern 216.5-foot Raja Gopuram being the tallest that was added in the 16th century.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the granite temple, with a 216-foot vimana, exemplifies Dravidian architecture and was built under the patronage of Raja Raja Chola I from 1010 AD.
Located in the town of Srivilliputhur, near Madurai, and dedicated to Lord Vishnu (in the form of Vatapatrasayi) it came up between the 8th and 10h century with a gopuram of 193.5 ft.
This temple's gopuram is 195 ft. Situated at Thirukovilur, it is another Vishnu (Ulagalantha Perumal) temple. It came up in the 9th century, built by the Cholas, with additions by the Vijaynagar maharajas.
At Kanchipuram, owning a gopuram with a height of 190 ft, the magnificent shrine to Lord Shiva is hard to date. Evidence shows it was around as early as 600 AD, originally built by the Pallava kings, with embellishments by later dynasties.
A Vishnu temple, also called Kallalagar Temple, its gopuram rises to 187 ft. At the village of Alagar Koyil, since maybe as early as 5th or 6th century, as per various religious canon references, but it could be still older.
One of the oldest temples in Bhubaneswar, from the 11th century, it is dedicated to Harihara, a combined form of Shiva and Vishnu and its vimana stands to 183.7 ft.