File:Impressive carved idols on the outer wall of Hoysaleshwara Temple.jpg

English: Hoysaleswara temple, also referred simply as the Halebidu temple, is a 12th-century Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, located in Halebidu, Karnataka, the temple was built on the banks of a large man-made lake and sponsored by King Vishnuvardhana of the Hoysala Empire, its construction started around 1121 CE and was complete in 1160 CE, during the early 14th century, Halebidu was twice sacked and plundered by the Muslim armies of the Delhi Sultanate from northern India and the temple and the capital fell into a state of ruin and neglect, this temple is a Shaivism tradition monument, yet reverentially includes many themes from Vaishnavism and Shaktism tradition of Hinduism, as well as images from Jainism, this temple is a twin-temple dedicated to Hoysaleswara and Santaleswara Shiva lingas, named after the masculine and feminine aspects, both equal and joined at their transept, it has two Nandi shrines outside, where each seated Nandi face the respective Shiva linga inside.