Padmanabhapuram Palace near Nagercoil

Padmanabhapuram Palace (பத்மனாபபுரம் அரண்மனை) is situated close to the town of Thuckalay in Kanyakumari district, about 15 km from Nagercoil. The palace complex is inside an old granite fortress around four kilometers long. The palace is located at the foot of the Veli Hills, which form a part of the Western Ghats. The river Valli flows nearby.

The Padmanabhapuram palace was the ancient capital of the Travancore kings. The palace was constructed around 1601 A.D by Iravipillai Iravivarma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Travancore between 1592 A.D. and 1609 A.D. The palace is known for its planning and military architecture and remained the center of power till 1790, when the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram.

This is famous for its 17th and 18th century murals, carved mahogany ceiling, colored mica windows, secret underground passages, inner courtyards, durbal hall, museum, four poster medicinal bed, Belgian mirror, 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.

Photography is allowed though one has to pay for using the camera while buying tickets. Guests to the palace are not allowed to enter wearing shoes or slippers in order to maintain the floor polish. The best time to visit the palace is between November and May. The place is less crowded during the monsoon months of June and July.The palace is open to tourists from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm on all days except Mondays and national holidays.