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Synonymous to Madurai, the Meenakshi- Sundareswarar is a twin temple that has made the city evolved. You can see a fabulous example of Dravidian architecture and sculpture in the temple. The temple has two sanctora, one dedicated to Meenakshi and the other to her consort Shiva as ‘Sundareswarar’. It is amongst the largest temple complexes in India. It grew with a large contribution of each dynasty and conquering monarchs into an enormous complex that extends over an area of 65,000 sq m. This temple was largely expanded during the reign of ‘Tirumalai Nayak’ (1623-55 AD). Out of the five Gopurams (gateways) surrounding the temple, the southern Gopuram is the tallest (48.8 m) one and painted in vibrant colors are sculpted stories from Indian mythology. One of the most stunning sculptures is that of representing the divine marriage of goddess Meenakshi with Sundareswarar. Another highlight of this temple is the ‘Hall of Thousand Pillars’ that has 985 pillars with a number of bold and ornate sculptures. Last but not the least, you can’t miss the nonpareil musical pillars that are carved out of stones; when tapped produce different musical notes. Located just about a kilometer southeast of Meenakshi Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace is the second most important attraction of this city. Constructed in the year 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak, this palace dons Indo-Saracenic style of architecture with the input of an Italian architect. This palace was the residential place of the King. Today, just a quarter of the original structure is intact, consisting of an entrance hall, dance hall, courtyard, and audience hall. In the evening, you can enjoy a special sound and light show daily. Located across the dry Vaigai River, Gandhi Memorial Museum is housed in the 300-years-old Tamukkum Summer Palace of Nayak queen Rani Mangammal. It is one of the seven museums in India devoted to Mahatma Gandhi. This museum features a number of items used by Gandhiji include a shawl, yarn, spectacles, and the bloodstained dhoti (loincloth) that he was wearing when he was assassinated in Delhi in the year 1948. It is believed that Mahatma Gandhi took up wearing the dhoti only in the Madurai in 1921 making it a sign of national pride. Entry to this museum is free for all. In addition, the Madurai Government Museum is also situated on the same grounds. Koodal Azhagar Temple is another popular monument of Madurai to discover its heritage and religious charm. This temple lies to the west of the city. It is an ancient Vaishnavite temple having attractive sculptures. In this temple, Hindu Lord Vishnu is depicted in three poses including sitting (asana), reclining (sayana) and standing (sthanaka).