Pattadakal is a small village about 20km from Badami. During the Chalukya dynasty together with Badami it served as a satellite capital  for the Chalukya empire. It was at Pattadakal where the Chalukya kings where crowned as it was considered a holy place.

Pattadakal is famous for its temple area which is rated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The oldest temple structures date from the 3rd century CE but most were build during the reign of the Chalukyas in 7th and 8th century CE.

It is believed that Pattadakal served as a kind of testing ground for the development of temple architecture and structures. Various forms of temple designs can be found here. Most notably are the different types of temple towers.