Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace), known also as the Main Palace, is one among the major attractions of Mysore. Mysore Palace, situated in the heart of the city, mirrors the bygone era.

The Mysore Palace of today is the fourth palace constructed on the same site. The re-construction of the present day Mysore Palace took place between 1897 – 1912. It was an English architect, Mr. Henry Irwin, who gave an aesthetic combination of Dravidian, Indo-Saracenic, Oriental and Roman styles of architecture to Mysore Palace.

The Mysore Palace is a three storey stone-building built with grey granite that has three pink marble domes.  There is a 44.2 meter high five storey tower that dominates the palace.  The domes of this tower are gilded in gold.

The entrance to the Mysore Palace is through the Gombe Thotti or the Doll’s Pavillion that has a vast collection of dolls that belong to the early 19th and 20th centuries. This section also includes the wooden elephant Howdah which is adorned with 81 kg of gold. The seven canons that are situated in front of Gombe Thotti are used even today to mark the beginning and the end of Dasara festival.   

The Kalyan Mantap (Marriage Hall) and Diwan-e-Aam (Durbar Hall) that faces the south and Diwan-e-Khas (Ambavilasa) that faces the east are the prime attractions of the Mysore Palace. The golden throne, made of 200 kg of gold, is kept for public display only during Dasara.

There are many rooms in the Mysore Palace that are dedicated to portrait gallery, gallery of royal costumes and jewellery, royal armoury, etc. The paintings of Raja Ravivarma, Siddalinga Swamy and K. Venkatappa adorn the walls of the Palace. The Mysore Palace complex also consists of twelve temples in varied architectural styles which were built between the 14th – 20th centuries.   

The whole Mysore Palace is lit up every Sunday evening, Government holidays and on Dasara festival from 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm.

Timing: 10.00 am - 5:30 pm
Admission Fees: INR 20 (Indians)
                            INR 10 (Children)
                            INR 200 (Foreigners)