Take a Trip into the Rich Architectural Heritage of India Through Madurai: 10 Best Places to Visit in Madurai (2019)

If you are planning a trip to Madurai then there couldn't be a better place where you would get a blend of spiritualism and modernity. There are numerous places of interest where you could go and see the different colours of a vibrant city. Meenakshi Temple is one of the grandest architectural and spiritual marvels you would ever come across in your life. The city of Madurai is located on river Vaigai. The beautiful 14 gateway towers of the temple are nothing but a welcoming sign for the tourist and for those who are seeking true spiritualism.

The Dravidian style architecture with grand gopurams and vimanas is something which defines the beauty and the grandeur of this great spiritual place located in the ancient land of Tamil Nadu.

Sree Meenakshi Amman Temple is one of the greatest reflection of the centuries-old Tamil culture. The temple is dedicated to goddess Meenakshi also known as Goddess Parvati, and Lord Shiva. This is one of the few temples in the world where Gods and Goddesses are worshiped together.

The temple gathers millions of people from across the world and the beauty and the facade of the temple show the ancient architectural brilliance of Engineers back in the 17th century.

Nowadays environmental concerns have taken a new high and captured everybody's attention. If you need to refresh yourself and seek a perfect relaxing place away from noisy streets, then Thirupparankundram Murugan Temple in Madurai is the perfect place for you.

This temple gains importance because of God Murugan who chose this place to be one of his abode out of 6 places. There is a belief that this temple is the place where God Murugan married Devasena. The Sanctum Sanctorum present here is humongous in size and it is carved out from a single rock. The walls and pillars of the temple are engraved with sculptures that fascinate the visitors. One thing which makes this place even more interesting is that the deities of Shiva and Vishnu sit opposite to each other facing each other which is the rarest thing you can ever find in ancient Hindu Temples.

As the ancient Hindu philosophy gives equal respect to every religion, a true example of secularism could be seen in the temple where there is an Islamic Shrine which is dedicated to Sikandar. It shows the level of tolerance India had from the time immemorial and a sense of inclusiveness for every religion and faith, irrespective of their origin or practices. You can also witness a striking pond in the premises of the temple where you can feed the fishes with salt and rice flakes. Don't miss out this beautiful place if you are planning to visit Madurai.

Calling the Vaigai Dam only an architectural Marvel will be an injustice to the service it provides to Madurai and the regions nearby.

This dam is not restricted to the functions of a usual dam, but it has truly transformed the place into a tourist destination. Whether you are a local trying to spare a few hours from your hectic life, or a tourist trying to explore Madurai, Vaigai Dam will leave you spellbound. If you have a plan in your mind to visit Madurai, then believe us that this place won't disappoint you.

The scenic beauty which it has to offer is beyond words. You will witness the 111 feet tall Dam and the beautiful Brindavan Garden in its vicinity is the icing on the cake. To make it look even more attractive, a beautiful light show is displayed every weekend which astonishes every tourist visiting the dam. Don't forget to experience the soft and warm sunrise by the reservoir if you ever get a chance to visit this massive and wondrous Dam.

Madurai is usually seen as the land of spirituality, but if you really think that this place has only a spiritual vibe, then you are wrong. Athisayam is a water cum amusement park located near the national highway connecting Madurai and Dundigul. This park covers around 70 acres of land and offers 40 games along with 20 different water rides. It also has a 7D theatre. If you are visiting Madurai with your family, then this spot is a complete family entertainment site. This park was built in 2000 and named as the queen of Indian theme parks. Variety of water rides is the main feature of this amusement park.

Main attractions of this place are entrance shower, Sindhu Bath, Big Splash, Wave Pool and Lazy river. There is a dry place too in this amusement park where you can enjoy rides like Columbus, Swing Chair, Baby Train, Dashing Car, Science Park, etc. Give this place a visit if you are an adventurer, exciting and fun loving person.

The Koodal Azhagar Temple is situated near the Meenakshi Temple with an area of 2.5 acres. The sprawling campus is full of greenery which shows spirituality and divinity in its true sense. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is also known as Azhar as per the Tamil literature. Another name of the temple is derived from the name of the city itself, as Madurai is also referred to as **Koodal in the ancient Sangam literature.

The temple is another reflection of the Grand Dravidian architecture built by the Pandyas. The temple has also the distinction of being one of the 108 Divya Desam and thus holding a special place in the hearts of the devotees. The thousand pillars hall is one of the most amazing pieces of work you can witness in architecture history. You can also observe some exquisite statues kept in the temple's museum.

India, being the home to one of the most diverse lands holds in the Meghamalai region. There couldn't be a better place to show the Grandeur of nature with the sprawling vegetation ranging from spices to the essence of the tea plantations. The land has great Biodiversity in terms of flora and fauna and it also houses some critically endangered and vulnerable species, for example, flying squirrel, Sloth bear or the Asiatic wild elephants .

If you are around the place, then Meghamalai Falls is a must to visit if you want to spend some quality time alone or with a companion. Nature's beauty is at its Zenith when it comes to these waterfalls. You will easily find a quiet place to relax with a hot sip of tea and the scenic beauty it has to offer. You can also view the Varusanadu Hills from the peak of this place.

Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal was the residence of king Thirumalai Nayak and was discovered in the year 2000. The palace had 2 sections and they were named as Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa. In these two sections, you can witness royal residence, theatre, apartments, armoury, garden and many more things that will definitely mesmerize you. This palace is completely stabilized on 248 pillars with an excellent daunting structure

The magnificent architecture is also coupled with the beautiful paintings being drawn at the wall and the roof which even today leave the tourist speechless. The palace also showcases the rich lifestyle of the Royal Kingdom and also show the infantry and cavalry strength which the places might have at the time of its rule. Now the palace has been turned into a museum by the government after the Independence but the essence and the beauty of this palace is still untouched and there are no major changes being done to the internal structure. Although the palace in its original form used to be 4 times bigger than what it is now even then the place will reflect the true nature of our ancient civilization.

India's most spiritual place Madurai holds the honour of having a Gandhi Museum in the city. The museum holds a lot of historical mementos including the stained clothes of Mahatma Gandhi when he was assassinated.

There couldn't be a better place than Madurai's Gandhi Museum to see the kind of struggle our forefathers have undergone to build today's India. The freedom struggle which started in 1757 and ended in 1947 is depicted in the Gandhi Museum. It was also one of the letters written by Mahatma Gandhi to Adolf Hitler to prevent the Second World War from happening and many other rare photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and other political activists.

The Museum also has the distinction of being recognized as one of the peace museums worldwide selected by the United Nations to endorse global peace by taking the pages from the books of history where people stood by their principles and fought with peace and non-violence as their weapons.

Pazhamudhir Solai is yet another famous temple dedicated to Lord Murugan and it is located on a hilltop. It is considered as one amongst the six abodes of god Murugan. The sculptures carved of marble and wood are unique. The giant steps in front of the temple make for a great climb. It is one of the most beautiful temples in South India.

A beautiful statue of Lord Subramaniya made with wooden and marble handwork will leave you speechless with the kind of precision being displayed in the statue. People worship by performing Pad pradakshina which roughly translates into going round about the time around the garbhagriha. The statue and the temple are beautiful and it is located on the Hills of Azhrar koil which will accentuate your experience with the kind of serene beauty it has to offer.

Ancient Indian architecture and paintings have always been a notch above and the Samanar Hills and the Jain temples are the perfect showcases of our ancient art and culture. The mural paintings on the walls of the Caves are astounding. Apart from the Jain temples, nature is also on its peak with beautiful roads and extraordinarily beautiful biodiversity of the Western Ghats.