Palaces in Kerala give the architectural excellence and the sculptural elegance from ancient era. They are all built in traditional style, some with a few special features. Later with the advent of Portuguese, Dutch and English, more palaces of different styles came into being. Some of the palaces of Kerala are Aranmula Kottaram, Bhaskarthu Palace, Bolgatty Palace, British Residency, Halcyon Castle, Hill Palace and Kanakakkunnu Palace.
Aranmula Kottaram
Aranmula Kottaram or Aranmula Palace is an old palace at Aranmula. It is a historical and traditional village in Kerala. Aranmula Palace was built more than 200 years ago. This palace is known as Aranmula Vadakke Kottaram. Aranmula Palace is the halt place of holy journey "Thiruvabharana khosa yatra" at Aranmula. Aranmula Kottaram is situated in front of Aranmula Sree Partha Sarathi Temple and very close to the Holy River Pampa. This palace is one of the best and rare examples of architectural form Nalukettu which is made based on Thachu Sastra, or the Science of Carpentry and Traditional Vasthu.
Bhaskarthu Palace
Bhaskarthu Palace in Kollam was built in 1952 by Sri Neelkandan and was given to Kunju Pennu.
Bolgatty Palace
Bolgatty Palace is a palace built by the Dutch Colonial Government in India. This palace is located on the island popularly known as Bolghatty Island in Kochi. It is one of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside Holland, this quaint mansion, built in 1744 by Dutch traders, was later extended and gardens were landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor`s palace for the commander of Dutch Malabar, and later in 1909 was leased to the British.
British Residency Bungalow
British Residency Bungalow also known as the Government Guest House or Residency Bungalow is a two-storied palace situated at Asramam in the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. British Residency Bungalow lies close to the site of the old Kollam District Airport situated at Asramam in the city and was built by Colonel John Munro between 1811 and 1819. It is a noted Kollam landmark like the Chinnakada Clock Tower.
Halcyon Castle
Halcyon Castle was built in the year 1932 in the Princely State of Travancore, in the modern-day state of Kerala. It was constructed by M.R.Ry Sri Rama Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, the companion of H.H. Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi, as a retreat for their family. In the year 1964 Valiya Koil Thampuran sold the entire property to the Government of Kerala and it was converted into a hotel.
Tripunithura Hill Palace
Tripunithura Hill Palace is the major archaeological museum in Kerala at Tripunithura, Kochi, near Karingachira. It was the administrative office of Kochi Rajas. Tripunithura Hill Palace was built in 1865. The palace complex of Tripunithura Hill Palace consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, spreading across in 54 acres (220,000 m2). The complex has an archaeological museum, a heritage museum, a deer park, a pre-historic park and a children"s park. The campus of Tripunithura Hill Palace is home to several rare species of medicinal plants. Tripunithura Hill Palace has been converted into a museum by Kerala State Archaeology Department.
Kanakakkunnu Palace
Kanakakkunnu Palace is situated in Thiruvananthapuram near the Napier museum. Kanakakkunnu Palace and its sprawling grounds are the venue for many cultural meets and programmes for both government and private concerns. An all India Dance Festival is organised by the Department of Tourism of Kerala every year. During this period the classical Indian Dance performances are conducted every day. There are several tourists streaming from many foreign countries every year.
Kilimanoor Palace
Kilimanoor Palace is known as the birthplace of Raja Ravi Varma, the celebrated Indian painter. The Palace complex of Kilimanoor covers more than six hectares, and comprises the traditional residential structures of Kerala, like the Nalukettu, small and medium sized buildings, two ponds, wells and sacred groves. Raja Ravi Varma is said to have built and maintained some of the buildings from the profits of his paintings. The families related to the Travancore royal house continue to live here.
Kowdiar Palace
Kowdiar Palace in Trivandrum was built in 1934 by Sree Chithira Thirunal, on the occasion of the Pallikettu (wedding) of his only sister, Maharani Karthika Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi with Lt. Col. G. V. Raja. After the Constitutional Amendment of 1971, the properties and estates of the royal family were partitioned and divided equally among the branches of the two Travancore Queens, Sethu Lakshmi Bayi and Sethu Parvathi Bayi. Kowdiar Palace belongs to the heirs of Sethu Parvathi Bayi as it was built by her son Sree Chithira Thiruna, the ruler of the bygone era.
Koyikkal Palace
Koyikkal Palace is a palace situated in Nedumangadu of Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. The palace was built in 16th century for Umayamma Rani of the Venad Royal Family. Umayamma Rani was the regent of Venad between 1677 and 1684. Koyikkal Palace is a double storied building and was built in traditional architectural style of Kerala.
Krishnapuram Palace
Krishnapuram Palace is a palace and museum located in Kayamkulam near Alappuzha in Alappuzha district of Kerala in south-western India. Krishnapuram Palace was built in the 18th century by Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma, the Travancore kingdom.
Shakthan Thampuran Palace
Shakthan Thampuran Palace is a South Indian palace located in the city of Thrissur in Kerala. It is named as Vadakkekara Palace, was reconstructed in Kerala-Dutch style in 1795 by Ramavarma Thampuran of the Princely State of Cochin, well as Sakthan Thampuran (Greatest ruler of the Cochin dynasty) is preserved by Archaeological Department.
Puthen Kovilakam
Puthen Kovilakam is one section of the Kodungallur Kovilakam. It is a palace in Kodungallur, Kerala, India. Puthen Kovilakamh means "new palace". This Kovilakam (manor house) was known by the name "Gurukulam". It was a well-known learning centre. Many eminent scholars from this Kovilakam contributed to Malayalam and Sanskrit literature.
Punnathurkotta
Punnathurkotta is a fort and palace. Punnathurkotta was once the palace of a local ruler, but the palace grounds are now used to house the elephants belonging to the Guruvayoor temple, and has been renamed Anakkotta (meaning "Elephant Fort"). There were 86 elephants housed there, but currently there are about 59 elephants. The elephants are ritual offerings made by the devotees of Lord Guruvayurappa.
Pandalam Palace
Pandalam palace is home for the royal family of Pandalam. It is situated on the banks of river Achankovil. Although most of the original buildings have vanished by flood and fires, a few still remain which could be witnessed in the area among the newly constructed buildings.
Nedumpuram Palace
Nedumpuram Palace belongs to a branch of the Kulasekhara dynasty that ruled the principality of Udayamangalam in Northern Kerala. The family belongs originally to the Valluvanad royal line of ascension who presided over the Mamamkam festival. During the southern campaign of Tipu Sultan, the family relocated to the south of Kerala and took shelter under the patronage of the King of Travancore.
Merry Lodge Palace
Merry Lodge Palace is a palace located in Thrissur. It was the palace and summer resort of the abdicated Maharaja of Cochin Rama Varma XV. Merry Lodge Palace was the venue of the meeting between Mahatma Gandhi and Rama Varma XV in 1925. In 1947, it was converted to Sree Kerala Varma College.
Mattancherry Palace
Mattancherry Palace is a Portuguese palace popularly known as the Dutch Palace. Mattancherry features the Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.
Laxmipuram Palace
Laxmipuram Palace is situated in Kottayam District in Kerala. It was the seat of the royal family of Koi Thampurans. It has produced many illustrious writers such as Raja Raja Varma Koil Thampuran, Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran and A. R. Raja Raja Varma. Noted ayurveda doctor L. A. Ravi Varma was also born in this palace. Noted Malayalam singer and classical musician L. P. R. Varma also hails from this palace.
Kuthira Malika
Puthen Malika Palace is most popularly known as Kuthira Malika. It is a palace built by Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, on the south-eastern side of Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.