Thanjavur was the ancient
capital of the Chola kings whose origins, go back to the
beginning of the Christian era. Power struggles between these
groups were a constant feature of their early history, with one
or other gaining the ascendancy at various times. The Cholas'
turn for empire building came between 850 and 1270 AD and , at
the height of their power. Probably the greatest chola emperors
were Raja Raja who was responsible for building the
Brihadishwara Temple ( Thanjavur main attraction ) and his son
Rajendra-I whose navy competed with the Arabs for controls of
the Indian Ocean trade routes and who was responsible for
bringing Srivijaya under Chola control.
By Air : The
nearest airport , Tiruchirappalli, is about 58 km away and is connected
by Indian Airlines and Air Lanka with Colombo. Indian Airlines also
connects Trichy with Madras and Madurai daily.
By Rail :
Thanjavur is well connected by rail with Trichy , Madurai, Nagore,
Tirupati, Rameshwaram and madras directly.
By Road :
Thanjavur is served by a good road system connected to all the major
cities of the country.
Local Transport :
Regular bus service connects all places of interest in
and around Thanjavur. Tourist taxis, autorickshaws and cycle rickshaws
are also available.
T
BRIHADESHWARA TEMPLE & FORT
The palace near the temple is a vast building of masonry built by the
Nayakas around 1550 and partly by the Maratha. Two of the palace towers,
the Armoury and the observation tower are visible from all parts of the
city. The palace houses an art gallery, a library and a hall of music.