The Lingaraja temple of Bhubaneswar is one of the first architectural product of Orissan style of art. It was built in 1100 A.D. by the rulers of the Ganga Dynasty. It is enclosed and has four features - a sanctuary, a dancing hall, an assembly hall and a hall of offerings. There are many smaller shrines around the temple in the enclosed area.

The tower of the temple is 180 feet high and there are many carvings on the exterior of the spire. The temple stands in a quadrangular enclosure. The most impressive feature of this temple is the spire which stands above the Sir mandir.

This tower dominates not only the structure of the temple complex but also the whole town of Bhubhaneshwar. It is a high conical structure, shaped like a bee-hive. In the lower part, it rises vertically and then it curves slowly inwards. Then there is a kind of neck on which rests the coping stone.

The graceful proportions of the tower together with its fine surface treatment is worthy of note. The whole temple enclosure is filled with smaller shrines. The exterior of the temple is richly carved, while its interior is just bare.