Heritage Tours >> Forts and Palaces >> Mattancherry Palace

This monument was built by the Portuguese in 1557 and presented to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi. The Dutch renovated it in 1663. The murals in the bedchambers and other rooms, depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends are the important features.
Puranic legends connect with Shiva, Vishnu, Krishna, Kumara and Durga. This palace is a two-storied quadrangular building with the coronation hall of the Rajas in the first floor.
Built in oriental style, Mattancherry Palace, situated in Ernakulam district of Kerala was originally built by the Portuguese. It was gifted to Raja Veera Kerala Varma as a gesture of goodwill (and probably as a means of securing trading privileges).
It was later taken over by the Dutch who improved it through extensions and repairs. Since then it came to be called the Dutch Palace, though at no time did the Portuguese nor the Dutch stayed there. One of the oldest buildings in Kerala, the Mattancherry Palace is a portrait gallery of the kings of Cochin.

In the centre of the building, is the Coronation Hall where the Cochin Rajas held their coronations. On display in the palace are the dresses, turbans, weapons and palanquins from that era. The ladies' bedchamber downstairs features a cheerful Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids..

Something interesting:  The black surface of the palace floor was built using a combination of egg white, coconut shell, charcoal and lime.

Timings:  Open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Closed on Fridays.