The temple at Tiruvannamalai is one of the biggest and grandest temples in South India. With the hill as back ground it gives the appearance of a fort to those who see it from a distance. It is unique on account of its stately towers, high rampart walls, broad quadrangles, spacious gateways, large mantapams and fine tanks. It has also much architectural importance and sculputural beauty.

Tiruvannamalai should have been under the sway of the Pallava Kings who ruled from Kancheepuram before the ninth century A.D. We do not find any inscription in the temple prior to A.D.850 and hence the present temple could not have existed then. Saint Sambandar in his Thevaram relating to this place mentions a temple. Saints Appar and Sambandar belonged to the Seventh Century, Sekkizhar, the renowned author of Periapuranam mentions that both the Saints Appar and Sambandar worshipped Arunchaleswarar in the hill Temple.

The Chola Kings ruled over the country for more than four Centuries from 850 A.D. to 1280 A.D. Some earlier Kings of Vijayalaya dynasty must have begun to construct the inner shrine(Garbegraha). In the fourteenth Century the Hoysala Kings had their capital at Tiruvannamalai. Afterwards the Kings of Vijayanagar and Nayak Kings of Thanjavur ruled over this part of the Country. In the Seventeenth Century it came under the sway of the Nawabs of Carnatic.

There was confusion and chaos after A.D. 1753. Muraru Raya, Krishna Raya, Mrithis Ali Khan, Burkat Ullakhan, French Soupries and Sambrinet, English Captain Stephen Smith besieged this place and had their successes and defeats. In A.D. 1790 it was captured by Tippu Sultan. During the first half of the nineteenth century it came under the British rule.

To the south of the Katchimantapam there are the store room, temple kitchen and pannirmantapam and in the north we see Vasanthamantapam (used as Devasthanam Office), Yagasala, and the shrines dedicated to Kalatheeswaras, Chidambraeswara, Ekambareswarar and Jumbukeswarar. Thus we have all the panchastalas in the Arunachalam temple. We have the temple of pidari also. In the third South Prakaram there are the Mahila tress sacred to this shrine, and the Tirukalyana Mantapam and Bhimeswarar and Vigneswarar Shrines. Just near the west gate connecting the third and forth Prakarams there is the shrine of Arunagiri Yogeeswarar. Lord Arunagiri Siddha's centre in the temple is here and it is a very good place for Meditation.

The towers, the pillars in the Mantapams and Vimananms consist of figures of Sculptures Excellence. In the side walls of the Entrance of East Gopuram there are dance poses and figures of Bewitching Beauty. Generally stone-Idols are fixed with what is called "Ashtabandana". But in this case it is "Swarnabandana" (Gold) which is of Special Importance. There are five inner rounds. Including what is called Madavilagam running just outside the temple walls and the four car streets and the path round the Giri the temple is said to have Seven Prakaras.

Connecting the fifth and fourth Prakarams there are short tower-gates (Kattai Gopuram) on the Southern, Western and Northern sides. In the South-Western corner of the fourth Prakaram there are the Amavasya Mantapam, Vinayagar Shrine and what is called Sthula-Sukshma temple. To its north there is the Tirupatha Koil. In the North Western corner of the Thirupatha Koil there is the Karthigai Mantapam and Subramanya shrine. On the new moon day Shree Chandrasekara Swami is taken to the Amavasya Mantapam and Lord Subramanya to Krithigai Mantapam on the Krithigai day.