Padmanabhapuram Palace

Padmanabhapuram Palace

The Padmanabhapuram Palace, about 60 km from Tiruvananthapuram, was once the home of the Royal family of Travancore. It is one of the biggest palaces in India with intricate carvings and beautiful woodwork. Travancore, which was a princely state for over 400 years, included a large part of present-day Kerala and the western part of Tamil Nadu. Though the palace is now in the State of Tamil Nadu, it was once the traditional home of the royal family of Travancore, so it is maintained by the Government of Kerala.

The palace is one of the best examples of the traditional wooden architecture of Kerala. The Palace is famous for its 17th and 18th century murals, carved mahogany ceiling, coloured mica windows, secret underground passages, inner courtyards, museum, four poster medicinal bed, Belgian mirror, pictures of Lord Krishna, granite dance halls and special black shiny floors which are made from a unique combination of egg white, jaggery, lime, burnt coconut, charcoal and river sand.