Padmanabhapuram Palace, Trivandrum, Kerala, India

Technically, it falls within Tamil Nadu now in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram was the capital of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore that spanned parts of the modern states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The palace was built around 1600 AD by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. It is believed that the Thai Kottaram was built in 1550.

In the late 18th century, precisely in 1795 the capital of Travancore was shifted from here to Thiruvananthapuram, and the place lost its former glory. However, the palace complex continues to be one of the best examples of traditional Kerala architecture, and some portions of the sprawling complex are also the hallmark of traditional Kerala style architecture. The Palace though surrounded entirely by the State of Tamil Nadu is still part of Kerala and the land and Palace belongs to the Government of Kerala. This Palace is maintained by the Govt.of Kerala Archaeology Department.

It is about 20km from Nagercoil, and about 50km from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The palace is complex inside with 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 Travancore kings were known for their extreme simplicity, generosity and support of the arts, especially music. They were very wealthy, but saved their wealth in the form of gold, rather than squandering their resources on ostentatious living.

This palace looks like anything but a palace – it is probably the most spartan palace in the world. It is just a large and rather sloppily architectured building with many extensions and rooms within rooms that were likely added on over a few generations. It is basically a brick and mortar building with a simple wood roof. The internals are look no different from an average middle class house of that era, except for extensive wood carvings used as decorative accents.