The Shore Temple, located on the shore of the Bay of Bengal in Mamallapuram, is one of the oldest structural stone temples in the world. Built around the 8th century, the current structure is one among the seven such temples called the Seven Pagodas in ancient times. The temple has three sanctums, two of which worship Lord Shiva, and one worships Lord Vishnu. Mahabalipuram used to be a thriving port in the old days, and many temple structures were built during the golden age of this coastal town