India - Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam

"Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, also known as Thiruvaranga Tirupati, is one of the most illustrious Vaishnav[1] temples in the country, dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Hindu deity, Bhagwan (God or Lord) Vishnu. Situated in an ethereal setting on the island of Srirangam that is bounded by the two rivers of Cauvery and Kollidam (a tributary of Cauvery), this living temple and sacred centre of pilgrimage is counted as the first and foremost among the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Bhagwan Vishnu.

More importantly, it is not just a temple but a temple-town, unique in its Sapta-Prakaram[2] formation, a temple centred settlement pattern that comprises of Sapta (seven)[3] concentric rectangular enclosures or prakarams[4] formed by thick and huge rampart walls that run round the sanctum sanctorum in which the deity presides. While the inner five enclosures of the complex constitute the temple, the outer two enclosures function as the settlement. Thus, the distinction between the temple and the settlement gets blurred and the temple is also referred to as Srirangam many a times. This Temple-Town typology is unique to this part of the world and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is an exceptional example of the same."

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List

Ranganathswamy Temple in Srirangam, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu, India. Thanks to Sidarth of Mangalore, India.