The oldest temples of Andhra Pradesh are Tirupati
Venkateswara Temple and the Kalahasteeswara Temple that date back to the
pre-Christian times. The Chalukyas of Badami built the 6th century
Alampur Bhrama temples that are excellent examples of Chalukyan art and
sculpture. The Kakatiyas ruling from Warangal succeeded the later
Chalukyas and constructed several beautiful temples during their reign
from 11th to 14th centuries. These temples show a opulent display of
intricate and elaborate sculptural work. The northeastern region of
Andhra Pradesh under the rule of the Ganga Kings, show distinct
impressions of Orissan temple architectural style in its shrines. The
Vijayanagar Empire contribute the fanours Sree Sailam temple and the
richly-decorated Lepakshi temples that have flat stuccoed granite
ceilings prevalent at those times and beautiful frescos. Thus, the
Andhra Pradesh temples are a testimony to the twists and turns of the
history of the state and the the patronage of various kingdoms that took
it under its wing such as the Cholas and Pallavas of Tamilnadu, the
Chalukyas of Deccan, the Eastern Gangas and the Vijayanagar Kings. The
reference of some of the ancient temples can be found in the songs and
compositions of great author-saints of Tamil Nadu including saints of
both Alwar (Vaishnavite) and Nayanmar (Saivite) sects of Hinduism.Sreesailam Temple:
Situated in the thick, deep forests of Nallamalai hills in the Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh, Sreesailam Temple is one of the most ancient and sacred places in South India. Standing on the shores of River Krishna known as 'Pataalganga' here on the Rishabhagiri hill, it is also known by the names of Sri Giri, Sriparvata, Rudra Parvata and Seshachalam. Its reference can be found in several texts and Puranas. The presiding deities of the temple are Sri Mallikarjuna Swami and his consort Bharamaramba (incarnations of Shiva and Parvati). The lingam here is said to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingams in the country.
Saneeshwara Temple:
Situated in a small village called Mandapalli, 38 km from Rajamundy, in the East Godavari District of Anshra Pradesh, this famous temple is one of the rare ones with Saneeshwara Bhagwan as its presiding deity. Also known as Sri Mandeswara Swami Temple and Someswara Temple, it is said that Saturn himself consecrated the linga representing Lord Shiva here. The other deities of the temple are Bhrameswara and Nageswara enshrined in the form of black stone Shiva Lingas. The small temple has some interesting legends attached to it.
Tirupati Temple:
Said to be the world's richest temple, the Tirumati Tirumala Balaji Temple is situated on the Tirumala hill on the outskirts of Tirupati in the Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Famous all over the world as a significant pilgrimage place, this ancient temple of Sri Venkateswara, the Lord of Seven Hills, is so called as Tirumala hill is a cluster of seven hills known as Seshachalam or Venkatachalam at an altitude of 2,800 ft above the sea level. The grand history of the temple spans over several centuries and it is the backbone of the pilgrimage and tourism industry of Andhra Pradesh.
