Those are great ideas, why not pursue them?
Start by writing down those ideas, draw some sketches, do some research (google images, play other peoples maps based on temples etc), get some matching and fitting textures and then start experementing a bit in Hammer, without having a actuall map in thought.
When you actually think you've succeeded at making that temple look, then, and only then you start drawing a layout and actually work on the map.
Take your time, and something really nice might actually come out. Good luck!!