The impressive ruins of this 8th-century Sun Temple built by King Lalitaditya sit in peaceful, well-tended gardens on a hill above Mattan. The site feels more complete than those of Awantipora, with a hefty centrepiece in carved limestone and much of a Doric arcade preserved.
From Mattan (9km from Anantnag on the Pahalgam road), follow ‘Kehrbal’ signs, climbing 1.5km up short hairpins towards Achabal, then veering left for another 1km. Some drivers confuse the sun temple with the large, much easier to find Shiva temple in central Mattan.