The Chennakesava Temple was built by King Vishnuvardhana (1108-1152 CE), the most renowned ruler of the Hoysala Empire. Vishnuvardhana began his reign as a Jain (his dynasty had been Jain for generations) but converted to Vaishnavism under the influence of the philosopher-saint Ramanujacharya, who visited the Hoysala court in 1117 CE.
The Chennakesava Temple was built as both a celebration of Vishnuvardhana's newfound Vaishnava faith and a political monument commemorating his victory over the Cholas at the Battle of Talakkad in 1116 CE, which pushed the Hoysala frontier southward into the Kaveri River valley. The construction of the temple began in 1117 CE under the direction of the chief architect Jakanachari (also known as Keshava), a legendary figure in Kannada folklore who is credited with establishing the Hoysala architectural tradition.
The temple's main structure was completed in 103 years, spanning three generations — Vishnuvardhana himself, his son Narasimha I, and his grandson Ballala II. The temple's main garbhagriha was consecrated in 1117 CE, while the completed temple was consecrated in 1220 CE, as recorded in the Belur inscription.
The temple witnessed continuous patronage under subsequent Hoysala rulers, with additions such as the small Garuda shrine, the Kappe Chennigaraya shrine (added by Vishnuvardhana's queen Shantala Devi in 1120 CE), and various mandapas. After the decline of the Hoysala Empire in the 14th century, the temple came under the control of the Vijayanagara Empire, whose rulers made further additions, including the smaller gopuram at the entrance and several subsidiary shrines.
The temple survived the destruction that many Hoysala temples faced during the Muslim invasions of the 14th century — Halebidu (30 km away) was sacked, but Belur was apparently spared, possibly because of its remote location in the forested Malnad hills. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple was maintained by local Maratha and Mysore rulers. The Archaeological Survey of India took over conservation in the early 20th century, undertaking major restoration work from the 1970s onward.
In September 2024, the Chennakesava Temple, together with the Hoysaleswara Temple and the Keshava Temple, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the title 'Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala Period.'
