Mukteswara Temple

King Yayati I of the Somavamshi dynasty raised this temple to Shiva, worshipped here as Mukteswara, between 875 and 904 CE. Built in the Pitha Deula form of Kalinga architecture, with a square plan and pyramid-shaped roof, it stands about 35 feet tall inside an octagonal carved wall, and historians have long praised its compact proportions. It is a protected National Monument.

The arched torana at the entrance is its best-known feature, with pillars carrying smiling female figures, peacocks, monkeys and scrollwork. Niches hold Saraswati, Ganesha and Lakulisha, while other panels show lattice windows and Panchatantra scenes. The Marichi Kunda tank lies to the east, believed to grant fertility to women who bathe in it, and smaller Shiva shrines dot the grounds. Odisha Tourism holds the Mukteswar Dance Festival of Odissi here.