Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace, also called Amba Vilas Palace, is the former seat of the Wadiyar dynasty and the centrepiece of Mysuru. This guide covers timings, ticket information and what to see.

Mysore Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, is the historic royal residence of the Wadiyar dynasty, the rulers of the Kingdom of Mysore. The present building was commissioned by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in August 1897 after the earlier palace was destroyed by fire. The design is attributed to the British architect Henry Irwin, who had earlier designed the Madras High Court, and the result mixes Hindu, Islamic, Rajput and Gothic elements under a large central dome.

The palace stands in the middle of the old fort area of Mysuru, with broad lawns and temples in its grounds.

Visitors walk through the public halls, which include the Durbar Hall and the Kalyana Mantapa with its stained-glass ceiling, according to Karnataka Tourism. On Sundays and public holidays the building is lit with thousands of bulbs for about an hour in the evening, and the illumination is extended during the Dasara festival. A sound-and-light programme is listed on weekday evenings in Kannada and English.

Photography inside the palace is restricted, so check the rules at the entrance.

Allow two to three hours for the halls, grounds and temples. Mornings are usually calmer than weekends and festival periods, and the palace is within walking distance of Jaganmohan Palace and Devaraja Market.