Konark Sun Temple, situated in the eastern State of Orissa close to the holy city of Puri, is devoted to the sun God or Surya. It is an epic depiction of the sun God Surya's chariot; it has 24 wheels and it is decorated with emblematic designs and it is led by a side of six horses. It is a work of art of Orissa's medieval structural design and one of India's most famous Brahman sanctuaries.
The Konark temple is broadly known not only for its architectural greatness but also for the complexity and wealth of sculptural work. It marks the highest point of achievement of Kalinga architecture depicting the grace, the joy and the rhythm of life all its wondrous variety.
The temple declared a world heritage by UNESCO was built in A.D. 1250, during the reign of the Eastern Ganga King Narasimhadeva-I (A.D. 1238-64). There are two rows of 12 wheels on each side of the Konark sun temple. Some say the wheels represent the 24 hours in a day and others say the 12 months. The seven horses are said to symbolize the seven days of the week. Sailors once called this Sun Temple of Konarak, the Black Pagoda because it was supposed to draw ships into the shore and cause shipwrecks.
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