The 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the Black Pagoda) was built in black
granite by King Narasimhadeva-I(AD 1236-1264) of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The
temple is a World Heritage Site. It takes the form of the chariot of Surya
(Arka), the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The
entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by
seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels.
The entrance is guarded by two lions, which are each shown crushing a
war elephant. Each elephant in turn lies on top of a human body. The
temple is now partly in ruins, and a collection of its sculptures is
housed in the Sun Temple Museum, which is run by the Archaeological Survey of
India.
