The Shore Temple was constructed in the early 8th century CE during the reign of Narasimhavarman II (also known as Rajasimha) of the Pallava Dynasty. It is so named because it overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal. It is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite. Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: ???????????) is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport from as early as the 1st century CE. By the 7th Century it was the main port city of the South Indian Pallava dynasty. The historic monuments seen today were built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries CE.