Just 4 Kms up the hill from Hotel Nehrus, ancient Shankaracharya Temple is situated on an 1100 feet high hill which forms the Back drop of Hotel Nehrus. The Shiva temple, as Kalhana believes, was constructed by Raja Gopadatya in 371 B.C. and, as such, is the oldest shrine in Kashmir, though it is not certain if the temple existed in the same form as it had been built more than two thousands years ago. The first repair of the temple is believed to have been undertaken during the reign of Lalitaditya in the eighth century A.D. According to historian Shivara, King Zain-ul-Abideen conducted second repairs of the temple after it had been damaged in an earthquake. The third time repair was undertaken during the Governorship of Sheikh Mohi-ud-Din when the temple is believed to have been named as Shankaracharya. The temple, besides a prominent Hindu religious place, is of great archaeological importance. The temple commands a magnificient panoramic view of the Srinagar City.