Padmanabhapuram Palace

The manthrasala (Council chamber) with a shiny hard black floor specially made from a combination of egg white, jaggery lime, burnt coconut, charcoal and river sand, granite tubs to cool curd and buttermilk and some coloured mica in the windows, is situated right at the top of the portico of Pilamoottu Kottaram (palace). The 'mattuppavu' (balcony) situated on the south served as the dining hall of the palace employees. An enormous 2 storeyed hall served as an 'oottupura' ( dining hall), where 2,000 Brahmins were fed free once daily. The paintings in the prayer room are simply superb. However this room is mostly kept locked and one has to have permission to enter. The fourth court of the palace occupies the east part of the complex.

Some of the other  interesting sections and items in this palace are royal chairs with Chinese carvings, secret underground passages which is said to run from another palace 2km away, Belgian mirrors in the ladies chambers and pictures of Lord Krishna, hanging brass lanterns lit continuously since the 18th century, hanging cage through which eagles tore criminals to death, open air swimming bath, the King's sister's dressing room with two hanging beds. One of the oldest buildings in the complex is 'Thaikkottaram' or the Queen Mother's palace (1550) with intricately carved wooden pillars, painted ceilings and a red polished floor, then there is the Alambara Bhagavati temple and Saraswathi temple, large earthen urns, room for scribes and accountants, carved figures on columns holding oil lamps, pooja (worship) rooms with jackfruit tree columns, fish carvings on the ceilings, 'Lakshmivilasam',  granite dance hall known as 'Navarathrimandapam', 'Chandravilasam' which served as the summer resort of the royalty to the north west, 'Indravilasam' incorporating a residence and audience hall, partly built in a Neo- Classical style building, Thekke Kottaram (southern palace) and 'Neerazhi Kettu' (bathing ghats) on the south, 'Ekandamandapam' or 'the lonely place',  the 'Homappura', where religious offerings were made, enormous teak beams and an outer cyclopean stone wall fitted together without mortar.

The palace archeological museum located in the first courtyard from the entrance, houses artifacts including furniture, Travancore coins, wooden and granite sculptures, stone and copper plate inscriptions, ancient armaments such as swords, rifles, spears and shields.

Though the palace is now in the State of Tamil Nadu, it was once the traditional home of the royal family of Travancore, so it is maintained by Kerala Archaeology Department.