Meenakshi Amman Temple is an historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai. It is dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her consort, Shiva. The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2,500-year-old city of Madurai and is a significant symbol for the Tamil people. 

Though most of the present structure was built between 1623 and 1655 CE it is said that the temple was originally built in the 6th century BC by survivors of the Kumari Kandam. In the 14th century, the Sultanate Muslim Commander Malik Kafur plundered the temple and looted it of its valuables. It was rebuilt by the Nayak ruler Vishwanatha Nayakar around the 16th century. It houses 14 gopurams (gateway towers), ranging from 45–50m in height. The tallest is the southern tower. The temple attracts 15,000 visitors a day and receives an annual revenue of 60 million rupees.

There are an estimated 33,000 sculptures in the temple. It was on the list of top 30 nominees for the "New Seven Wonders of the World". The temple is the most prominent landmark and most visited tourist attraction in the city. The temple is as vital to the aesthetic heritage of South India as the Taj Mahal is to North India