Thanjavur Travel Guide
Thanjavur is home to the Brihadeeswarar Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the former capital of the Chola empire.
Top attractions in Thanjavur
Brihadeeswarar Temple (the 'Big Temple')
Completed around 1010 CE under the Chola king Rajaraja I, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the largest temples in India. Its main tower rises about 66 metres and is topped by a single carved granite block weighing an estimated 80 tonnes — moved into place, according to local tradition, up a ramp several kilometres long.
View on Google Maps →Photo: Bernard Gagnon, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Saraswathi Mahal Library
A royal library dating to the Nayak and Maratha rulers of Thanjavur, holding a large collection of palm-leaf and paper manuscripts, some of the earliest medical and astrological texts in the region, and rare early European maps of India.
View on Google Maps →Photo: Wiki-uk, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- •Known for Thanjavur paintings and bronze sculpture
Best time to visit
Pleasant most of the year. Expect much larger crowds during major festival periods, so plan lodging and travel a little earlier if your visit lines up with one.
Safety on the road
Every Cabmart trip is tracked live from pickup to drop, and every driver is verified before their first ride. In an emergency, the in-app SOS button alerts your emergency contacts and dials 112 with your live location.
Getting to Thanjavur from Chennai
About 331km by road — a one-way Cabmart drop taxi costs ₹5796 in a sedan, paid directly to your driver in cash or UPI with zero commission. Toll and parking are the only extras, charged at actual cost.
See the full Chennai to Thanjavur fare breakdown →Combine this with a nearby trip
Choose your vehicle in Thanjavur
Planning your trip
Thanjavur travel guide — frequently asked questions
How far is Thanjavur from Chennai by taxi?
About 331km by road, roughly 7 hours of driving. A one-way Cabmart drop taxi costs ₹5796 in a sedan, paid directly to your driver with zero commission taken by Cabmart.
What is the best time to visit Thanjavur?
Pleasant most of the year. Expect much larger crowds during major festival periods, so plan lodging and travel a little earlier if your visit lines up with one.
Is Thanjavur connected by outstation taxi from other Tamil Nadu cities?
Yes — Cabmart matches any pickup to any drop statewide by live driver location, not fixed routes, so a trip to or from Thanjavur works from anywhere in Tamil Nadu, not just Chennai.