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 sq. ft 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.

The palace is a quadrangular structure built in Nālukettu style, the traditional Kerala style of architecture, with a courtyard in the middle. In the courtyard there stands a small temple dedicated to ‘Pazhayannur Bhagavati’, the protective goddess of the Kochi royal family. There are two more temples on either side of the Palace, one dedicated to Lord Krishna and the other to Lord Siva. Certain elements of architecture, as for example the nature of its arches and the proportion of its chambers are indicative of European influence in basic Nāluketttu style.The Dining Hall has carved wooden ornate ceiling decorated with a series of brass cups. The palace also contains rare examples of traditional Kerala flooring, which looks like polished black marble but is actually a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites.

The glory of the palace rests on the large number of murals, executed in the best traditions of Hindu temple art, which are religious, decorative and stylised. The murals have been painted in rich warm colours in tempera technique.The king’s bedchamber or Palliyara, to the left of the entrance and occupying the southwest corner of the Palace, is noteworthy with its low wooden ceiling and 300 sq ft (28 m2) of wall surface covered with about 48 paintings. These illustrate the Ramayana, from the beginning of the sacrifice of Dasaratha to Sita’s return from captivity in Lanka. The paintings in this section are the earliest in the palace, dating back to the 16th century. The last five scenes are from the ‘Krishna Lila’ where in a cheerful God Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids.The paintings are attributed to the artistic bent of mind of Veera Kerala Verma.

Best time to visit

Being situated very close to the sea, Kochi has a moderate climate. Heavy showers are experienced during the months June, July and August due to the South-West Monsoon. In summer the temperature rises to a maximum of 35 ºC while in winter it is around 25 ºC. The best time to visit Cochin is between December to February when the weather is cool and pleasant.

Distance from Important Places

Delhi - 2594 KM
Mumbai- 1384 KM
Kolkatta-2360 KM
Chennai -684 KM
Thiruvananthapuram-220 KM

Getting here

By Air

Nearest airport is Cochin International Airport, about 20 km from Ernakulam town.

By Rail

Nearest railway station is Ernakulam which is about 10 km from Mattancherry.

By Road

There are frequent bus and boat services to Mattancherry. The boats start from Main Boat Jetty near Subash Park at Ernakulam town.

Hotels in Kochi

www.hotelskerala.com/cochin.htm