The Konark Sun Temple is a monumental 13th-century CE Hindu temple in Odisha, India, dedicated to the Sun god Surya. It is a prime example of the Kalinga architecture style, representing its culmination. The temple was constructed around 1250 CE by King Narasimhadeva I (r. 1238–1264 CE) of the Eastern Ganga dynasty. It is believed to have been built to celebrate the King's military victory over Muslim forces in Bengal.
The temple's mechanism is its unique architectural design, which depicts Surya's celestial chariot. The structure is conceived as a colossal stone chariot with twelve pairs of elaborately carved wheels, pulled by seven horses. These 24 wheels, some nearly 12 feet in diameter, also function as accurate sundials. Historically, the temple was known as the "Black Pagoda" and served as a crucial navigation landmark for sailors.
The temple connects to India's cultural heritage as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a status it received in 1984. It is also featured on the reverse side of the Indian 10-rupee banknote. While the original main sanctum (vimana) collapsed after the 16th century, the entrance hall (Jagamohana) was filled with sand in the early 20th century to ensure its structural stability. A project to remove the sand and restore the entrance hall was initiated in 2022.