Gopuram

In the Dravida style of temple architecture, which was mainly prevalent in
southern India, gopurams are the ornate
temple gateways in the center of the
temple’s perimeter walls. Temples built
in the Dravida style tend to be shorter
than temples built in the northern
Indian Nagara style, but compensate for
this by stretching over vast areas, often
forming towns in their own right. There
are usually four gopurams, one for each
of the cardinal directions; in some cases
these gopurams are ten stories tall and
can be seen for miles from the surrounding countryside. The gopurams
were originally fortified gateways built
to restrict access to the temple, but in
present times their function is more
decorative. By dominating the skyline
around the temple—much like spires of
Gothic cathedrals—gopurams are a
pronouncement about the power of
the resident deities (and their client
rulers); they have also helped to educate
the faithful, since they are usually
covered with sculptures detailing
mythological themes.