Visiting hours:10:00
am to 5:00 pm on all days except Fridays.
Built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to
Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi, the Palace was
renovated in 1663 by the Dutch. The palace with
a Bhagavathi temple in the central courtyard is
built like the typical Kerala style mansion - the
Nalukettu - the home of the aristocracy, nobility
and upper classes, with four separate wings opening
out to a central courtyard.
The double storeyed palace building
which stands by the panoramic Kochi back waters
has an exquisite collection of murals collectively
covering over 300 sqft of its walls. The themes
of these murals have been borrowed from the great
Indian epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha,
and mythology and legends about the Hindu gods especially
Guruvayurappan. Some murals depict scenes from Kumarasambhavam
and other works of the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa.Also
on display are royal paraphernalia like weapons,
swings and furniture which offer a glimpse of the
lifestyle of the royal family.
Getting there :
There are frequent bus and boat services to Mattancherry.
The boats start from Main Boat Jetty near Subash
Park at Ernakulam town.
Nearest railway station
:
Ernakulam, about 10 km
Nearest airport :
Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam
town.
