Vishwanath Temple -
dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is manifested here as Vishveswara (Lord of the Universe).
Rani Ahalya Bai Holkar of Indore erected this temple in 1776. It is located in
the heart of the city and surrounded by shops where business seems to go round
the clock. This is the most sacred of all shrines in Varanasi. It was built next
to the site of the old temple that was destroyed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb who
built the Gyanvapi Mosque on its ruins. Between the temple and the mosque is the
famous Gyan Kut or the \\\'Well of Knowledge\\\'. There are many smaller temples around
notable among them are the Ganesh Temple, Annapurna temple and the Shanischar
Temple.
