Top 15 Famous Tourist Places In Madurai

Madurai is famous as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu. Madurai has several gorgeous places to visit. So, in this article, we will tell you about the top 15 famous tourist places in Madurai.

Tourist places in Madurai are filled with different kinds of temples. These are dedicated to other gods like Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, and Goddess Parvati. Madurai’s skyline is dominated by the 14 gopurams of the Famous Meenakshi Amman Temple. As Madurai city resembles the shape of a Lotus, That’s why Madurai is also famous as “The Lotus City”. Madurai is a great example of the sculpture and architecture of India also. 

The Churches of Madurai are architectural marvels with a mix of Roman, Continental, and European architecture.

So, without any further delay let’s go through the beauty of the temples and church, and the overall beauty of Madurai in this article. And started to make a plan to go to Madurai tourist places. 

Top 15 Famous Tourist Places In Madurai: 

1. Meenakshi Amman Temple, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

Tourist Places In Madurai

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Meenakshi Amman Temple additionally referred to as the Meenakshi-Sundershwara Temple, is a well-known visitor enchantment in Madurai and is one of the oldest temples in India. This temple holds high-quality significance to Indian human beings because of its mythological and historic significance. It is thought to be the site wherein Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati (Meenakshi), withinside the form of Sundareswarar (that means the good-looking one).

The temple is understood for its marvelous structure and is thronged by lots of devotees every single day. The marvelous structure of the temple certainly makes it one of the Wonders of India. The Thirukalyanam Festival, which is pretty well-known in South India is celebrated over a span of 10 days and draws over 1,000,000 devotees. 

  • Temple visiting time: 5:00 am to 12:30 pm and 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm
  • Time spent in the temple: 1 – 2 hours
  • Best time to visit: Early morning or evening, for the aarti
  • Best months to visit: October to March 
  • Things to remember: As it is a place of worship, visitors should dress respectfully and conservatively

2. Meghamalai, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

Tourist Places In Madurai

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Meghamalai, regionally referred to as the ‘High Wavy Mountains, is a picturesque mountain variety and among the maximum stunning locations to go to in Madurai. Nestled amidst lush and aromatic tea, cinnamon, pepper, and cardamom plantations and dotted with inexperienced meadows, waterfalls, and wildflower patches, that is the best area to break out into the exquisite uncooked splendor of nature.

Meghamalai has stunning and rugged nature trails that take one deep into the forests on the nearby flora and fauna sanctuary that residents masses of species of exclusive birds like blue robins, spotted doves, and the Great Indian hornbill. Some elements of the forests additionally offer habitat to leopards, Indian gaurs, elephants, and tigers.

Don’t leave out to peer at the stunning Suruli and Meghamalai waterfalls and go to dams like Manalar, Thekkady, Vannier, etc. which might be stunningly lush enclaves of nature. There are historic temples just as the hilltop Murugan and Mangala Devi Temples that aren’t most effectively visited with the aid of using hundreds to hope however also are first-rate viewpoints for human beings to soak in panoramic perspectives of the area.

3. Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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One of the maximum famous vacation locations in Madurai, the Thirumalai Nayak Palace became originally the residence of the-then king Thirumalai Nayak. This palace is a sworn statement to the appropriate mixture of Dravidian and Islamic fashion of structure.

Erected withinside the year 1635, the palace became remarkably imaginative, and prescient by the king for his royal stay. If you’re a history lover and admire the marvels of structure then that is the area to be. The light and sound display here, each evening, makes the visit even extra memorable. 

  • Visiting time of the palace: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
  • Time spent in the palace: About 2 hours to explore all the accessible areas 
  • Best time to visit: Mid-afternoon to explore all the accessible areas of the palace and catch the light and sound show.
  • Entry fee:
    • Rs 5 for children
    • Rs 10 for adults
    • Rs 50 for foreign nationals

4. Mariamman Teppakulam, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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Built by King Thirumalai Nayak, Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam may be a tank settled near the temple of a similar name. This temple tank is a place of worship wherever individuals will be seen playing pious activities, additionally, it’s concerning two kilometers off from the Meenakshi Amman Temple. Connected to the Vaigai river, the tank is an impressive structure with a system of underground channels and twelve long, granite steps on all four sides. within the middle of the tank, there’s a main mandapam referred to as Maiya Mandapam or the Central Mandapam in conjunction with a garden and a Vinayakar temple. 

  • Visiting time to the tank: 5:00 am to 9:00 pm
  • Entry fee: There is no entry fee
  • Best months to visit: January to February, during the float festival (Teppoothsavam)

5. Goripalayam Dargah, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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This historic dargah, one of the maximum fascinating locations to go to in Madurai, dates back to the 13th century and is devoted to 2 well-known saints Khwaja Alauddin Badusha and Khwaja Shamsuddin Badusha who got here from Oman to unfold the knowledge of Islam. The Dargah, the largest in Madurai, is home to the shrines of each of those saints which might be visited by humans from throughout Tamil Nadu to are seeking benefits and peace.

There is a thrilling inscription here that info how the dargah got here into being in the course of the historic Pandiyan regime whilst Madurai turned into broadly speaking under Islamic rule and influence. The Dargah, in shades of pristine white, is simple to identify amidst the encircling winding alleys due to its tall minarets and its big dome. It has a lovely Islamic-Dravidian structure that consists of ornate arches, stone pillars, and funky marble floors. It even homes a safe haven wherein humans of all faiths live for days and months to are seeking divine benefits amidst the serene atmosphere of Quran recitals and the holy Azaan. 

  • Timings: Every day from 7:00 am – 7:00 pm.

6. Alagar Koyil, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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Sitting approximately 21 km away from Madurai, Alagar Koyil, rather called Azhagar Kovil, is one of the most visited temples of Madurai. Besides the spiritual importance that the temple holds, it’s also an architectural marvel. Depicting the forms and types of the early Sangam age, and the generation that it belongs to, the temple is devoted to Lord Vishnu. The temple partitions are adorned with fine, charming carvings, whilst numerous mandapams are warehoused within.

The presiding deity right here is Lord Sundararajan, the brother of Goddess Meenakshi. There are some shrines devoted to deities like Andal, Sudarshana, and Yoga Narasimha withinside the temple. 

  • Timings: 09:00 AM to 07:00 PM
  • Entry Fee: No entry fee
  • Location: Alagar Koyil main road, Tamil Nadu

7. Samanar Hills, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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The lovely perspectives from the Samanar Hills cause them to a few of the pinnacle vacation sights in Madurai. The hill complex is placed withinside the Keelakuilkudi village, approximately 15 km far from the main city of Madurai. The importance of this spot is deep-rooted withinside the presence of Tamil Jain priests who resided right here around 2000 years ago.

The carvings at the partitions supply an account of the manner of residing and the guidelines that priests followed. There is likewise a lovely lotus temple located at the premise. 

  • Visiting time of the hills: Sunrise to sunset
  • Time spent in the temple: Around 2 hours
  • Best time to visit: Early morning, to beat the sun during the hike to the top
  • Things to remember: The trek to reach the top of the hill can take up to 2 hours

8. Koodal Azhagar Temple, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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For the worshippers of Lord Vishnu, the Koodal Azhagar Temple is virtually one of the best locations to go to in Madurai. Originally constructed via way of means of the Pandyas, the temple is located properly withinside the center of the town of Madurai. Koodal is some other call for Madurai whereas, Azhagar means “stunning one” in Tamil.

The temple is surrounded by a granite wall, enclosing all of the shrines. Constructed withinside the Dravidian structure style, the temple is superbly sculpted and carved by including shades of various colors. 

  • Visiting time of the temple: 5:30 am to 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Time spent in the temple: 1 – 2 hours
  • Entry fee:
    • Rs 10 for children
    • Rs 20 for adults
  • Best time to visit: Early morning or evening, to attend the aarti
  • Best months to visit: Mid-February to mid-March to attend the festivals
  • Things to remember: As it is a place of worship, visitors should dress respectfully and conservatively

9. Pazhamudhir Solai, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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Pazhamudhir Solai is one of the enthralling traveler locations in Madurai. Known to be the smallest homestead of Lord Murugan, the Pazhamudhir Solai is surrounded by a densely wooded area with a wealthy kind of flora. Though it’s by far the smallest of the abodes, the temple right here nevertheless holds importance to the devotees.

It is positioned 20 km far from the metropolis of Madurai and sits quietly atop a hill and is near the Vishnu temple of Azhagar Kovil. 

  • Visiting time of the temple: 5:30 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Time spent in the temple: 1 – 2 hours
  • Entry fee: There is no entry fee
  • Best time to visit: Early morning, for good darshan and to avoid queues for the spring water
  • Best months to visit: March, to witness Panguni Uthiram being celebrated with full grandeur
  • Things to remember: As it is a place of worship, visitors should dress respectfully and conservatively

10. Kazimar Big Mosque And Maqbara Mosque, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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Madurai’s oldest mosque, the Kazimar Big Mosque become the introduction of Kazi Syed Tajuddin back in the 13th century. Carrying the stellar influence of the while that the shape has witnessed, it’s far a common hang-out for fanatics of history, tradition, and religion.

The mosque, real by its informal name ‘Big Mosque’, is massive sufficient to deal with approximately 2,500 human beings at once! The shrine (called Dargah) of the descendants of Prophet Muhammad additionally lies withinside the mosque, wherein numerous devotees flock to pay homage. 

  • Timings: 07:00 AM to 07:00 PM
  • Entry Fee: No entry fee
  • Location: Kazimar St, Periyar, Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001

11. Isckon, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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No journey to Madurai is complete without touring the stunning and serene ISKCON Temple here. Dedicated to Radha and Krishna, the temple is likewise called Radha Mathurapati, one of the maximum famous locations to go to in Madurai. The beige and white palace-like complicated temple has stunningly carved pillars, walls, and sanctums retaining consistency with the ISKCON history and beauty.

Resounding Krishna hymns, curling clouds and perfume of burning incense, and tinkling bells provide the right surroundings for meditation here. The stark-white marble idols of Lord Krishna and Radha are decorated with stunning ‘Vastrams’ and jewelry. Don’t omit to wait until the evening aartis, devotional lectures, and kirtans not best to advantage of greater religious expertise but to additionally lose yourself in an atmosphere that reverberates with hypnotic chants and divine rhythms. There is a small eatery in the complex that serves easy but scrumptious vegetarian food. 

  • Timings: Every day from 4:45 am-12: 30 pm and 5:00 pm-8: 15 pm.
  • Location: Mani Nagaram Main Road, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. 

12. St. Mary’s Cathedral Church, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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St. Mary’s Cathedral, additionally called the Church of Our Lady Dolores become constructed in the year 1841. Due to its marvelous architecture, it is one of the pinnacle locations to go to in Madurai. With wealthy records of over a hundred and fifty years, the church is an eclectic blend of Roman, European, and Continental architecture. One can go right here to wish and attend the Mass or simply adore this age-antique structure. 

  • Visiting time of the church: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm 
  • Time spent in the temple: Visitors spend around half an hour while devotees can spend over an hour 
  • Best time to visit: Between 7:30 am to 6:00 pm
  • Best months to visit: Mid-February to mid-March to attend the festivals
  • Things to remember: As it is a place of worship, visitors should dress respectfully and conservatively

13. Pudhu Mandapam, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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One of the maximum serene locations to go to in Madurai, this historical temple dates lower back to the year 1628 whilst it became constructed through King Thirumalai Nayakkar in reverence to the Lord Sundareshwar and Goddess Meenakshi and functions as their summer time season abode. One issue that right away moves the site visitors is the temple’s architectural elegance and finesse. You will see 124 pillars and columns intricately carved with Hindu scriptures and scenes from the marriage of the Lord and the Goddess and those of the Nayaka dynasty rulers. The mandapam is nearly 330 ft. high and stands on a pedestal.

The temple hosts the famous festivals of Avani Moolam, Theppam, Navarathri, etc. that carry hundreds of human beings from throughout Southern India. The temple complex homes a conventional marketplace this is been functioning since the 1920s, wherein you may choose up lovely neighborhood textiles, holy books, jewelry, and sandalwood products. 

  • Timings: Every day from 9:00 am- 8:30 pm.
  • Location: E Chitrai Street, Chinnakadai Area, Madurai.

14. Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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Referenced in numerous historical texts, consisting of works of Sangam literature, Thirumohoor Kalamegaperumal Temple is one of the most thrilling locations to go to in Madurai. Stretching 2.3 acres of land, the temple has controlled to fantastically hold the architectural splendor that Madurai boasts of.

The distinguished Dravidian fashion of structure stands proud fantastically, alongside diffused glimpses of the Pandyan technology being meditated inside the walls. Surrounded by granite walls, there are 4 Prakaramas targeted in the complex. The temple now falls under the care of the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Tamil Nadu Government. 

  • Timings: 07:00 AM to 12:00 PM, 04:00 PM to 08:00 PM
  • Entry Fee: No entry fee
  • Location: Thirumohur, Tamil Nadu 625107

15. Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, Tourist Places In Madurai: 

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The Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple, with its wealthy cultural significance, needs to genuinely make it for your locations to go to in the Madurai list. It is one of the six abodes of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya). Legend has it, this is the very site in which Murugan defeated the demon, Surapadman, and become married to Deivayani, the daughter of Lord Indra.

What makes this temple unique is its rock-reduce structure which, infamous belief, become constructed through the Pandyas. People agree that it is auspicious to get married withinside the Thiruparankundram Murugan Temple for a glad and successful married life. 

  • Temple visiting time: 5:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm
  • Time spent in the temple: 1 – 2 hours
  • Best months to visit: Mid-March to April, during the 14-day long festival
  • Distance: The temple is situated 8 km away from Madurai the month of birth and month of death, respectively, of Gandhi 

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