The Durga Temple was built during the Early Chalukya period, circa 7th-8th century CE, during the reign of the Chalukya kings. Aihole served as the first capital of the Chalukya dynasty before it moved to Badami. The temple is attributed to the period of Vikramaditya I (655-681 CE) or his successors. The Chalukya dynasty was a major power in the Deccan, and Aihole was their cultural and commercial hub.
The temple's unique blend of Buddhist chaitya-hall plan with Hindu iconography reflects the transitional period when Indian temple architecture was evolving from earlier Buddhist and Jain models to the classical Hindu temple form. The temple was documented in the 19th century by British archaeologists, and it has been under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India since the early 20th century.
