In the seventh century, Trilokyamahadevi, the second queen of Vikramaditya, constructed the ancient Mallikarjuna Temple. After completing the Virupaksha Temple, she ordered the building of this temple to honor her husband's victory against the Pallavas. Regarding design and height, this building resembles the Virupaksha Temple and exhibits the Dravidian architectural style. All visitors to Pattadakal include it on their Pattadakal tour package.

The temples in the South, especially the Mallikarjuna Temple in Pattadakal, show off the extraordinary skill and craftsmanship of the artisans. It also reflects the love and passion for art and architecture shared by the people. It shows the support of the rulers who helped construct the temples. It is a must-visit temple among the places to visit in Pattadakal. 

Architecture of Mallikarjuna Temple

The temple was constructed in the Dravidian architecture. It features three mukha mandapa on its three sides and a half-collapsed stone nandi mandapa in front of it. A large hall with pillars follows the sanctuary. On the mukha mandapa and pillars of the hall, there are exquisite sculptures of gods and scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Panchatantra. Beautiful figures are also adorning the temple's ceiling. Elephant sculptures support the roof of the maha mandapa.

The Mallikarjuna Temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka, is one of the best temples in the South Indian architectural style. The queens of Vikramaditya II (734–74) built this temple in remembrance of his successful march against Kanchi, the Pallava capital. The impressive square pillars of the temple are made of sandstone. The majestic temple is famous for its beautiful carvings and vibrant wall images. Since the sandstone in this area is reddish, Pattadakal is also popular as Kisuvolal ('Red Town').

The Mallikarjuna Temple at Pattadakal, Karnataka, took its inspiration from the Kailasanatha Temple in Kanchipuram. It represents the pinnacle of early Chalukya construction.