A Sthala Vriksha or Sthala Vruksham (Tamil

Tamil language

Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...

:ஸ்தல வ்ருக்ஷம்), is a monumental tree that is indigenous to every historical Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 temple. This forms a prominent feature of Koil

Koil

Koil or Kovil "King's House" is the Tamil term for a distinct style of Hindu temple with Dravidian architecture.The koil in Tamil Nadu and kovil of Ceylon has a long history and has always been associated with the ruler of the time. Most kings patronised temple building in their kingdom, and...

s, Hindu temples

Hindu temple architecture

India's temple architecture developed from the sthapathis' and shilpis' creativit, but n general these are from the Vishwakarma . A small Hindu temple consists of an inner sanctum, the garbha griha or womb-chamber, in which the image is housed, often circumambulation, a congregation hall, and...

 of the Dravidian style

Dravidian architecture

Dravidian architecture was a style of architecture that emerged thousands of years ago in Southern part of the Indian subcontinent or South India. They consist primarily of pyramid shaped temples called Koils which are dependent on intricate carved stone in order to create a step design consisting...

.

Besides the dominant feature of a temple's architecture comprising the Gopuram

Gopuram

A Gopuram or Gopura, is a monumental tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of any temple, especially in Southern India. This forms a prominent feature of Koils, Hindu temples of the Dravidian style. They are topped by the kalasam, a bulbous stone finial...

, Vimanam

Vimanam

The word Vimanam can refer to any of the following:#Sikhara — the rising roof of a Hindu temple in North India.#vimanam is the tower that crowns the innermost sanctum of a South Indian temple ....

and the sanctum, the temple tree is also considered holy. Some of the temples and historical places derive their names from such trees.