The temple's stone structures date back to the Pallava period in the 5th century CE, though the site itself is believed to have been a place of worship since much earlier times. The principal Pallava contributions include the inner sanctum and some of the earliest structural elements. Under the Chola rulers, particularly Kulothunga Chola I (11th century CE), the temple was significantly expanded with additional shrines and mandapams.
The Chola inscriptions at the temple document endowments of land and gold for temple maintenance and rituals. The temple reached its largest architectural scale during the Vijayanagara Empire (16th century CE). Emperor Krishnadevaraya (reigned 1509-1529 CE), a devout Shaiva, constructed the hundred-pillared hall (Satha Mandapam) and the 120-foot-tall main gopuram (Raja Gopuram). The Vijayanagara contributions also include the outer walls and several subsidiary shrines.
The temple was patronised by successive rulers from the Pallavas through the Vijayanagara Empire. The temple is currently maintained by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which also manages the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.
