Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala, has been associated with the royalty for many centuries. The late Maharaja Marthanda Varma (1729-1758) of the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore was instrumental in making Trivandrum as its capital since 1745 AD. The royalty was very interested in promoting literary and performing arts and have left a legacy of many fascinating architectural gems that add to Trivandrum’s cultural heritage.

Though there are many palaces and royal homes spread out all over Kerala, it’s the magnificent Kowdiar palace located in the heart of Trivandrum city that garners the most interest. It is designed impressively in the typical Kerala-style architecture. Unlike the palaces in the north of the country that come highly adorned, the palaces in Kerala are more simplistic with clean, elegant designs. This palace’s beauty is further enhanced by the lavish use of wood, which was available in abundance under its close location to the verdant forests of the Western Ghats. The architects used this natural material abundantly to add intricately carved pillars and beams to ornament the structure.

The Kowdiar Palace was built in 1934 by the late Maharaja Sree ChithraThirunal. It was meant to grace the auspicious occasion of the wedding of his sister, Maharani KarthikaThirunal Lakshmi Bayi to Lt. Col. G. V. Raja. This majestic three-storied edifice houses 150 rooms and also boasts of an elevator made entirely of wood. The palace has 6 grand steeples that can be seen majestically gracing the palace from across the city’s skyline.

Kowdiar Palace is set within sprawling green gardens and is the final resting place of the late Raja Sree ChithiraThirunal Balarama Varma of the erstwhile Kingdom of Travancore. Though the palace isn’t open to the general public as it is still the royal family’s official residence, it forms a part of Trivandrum’s rich cultural heritage and is an architectural gem. Many of the personal items and memorabilia of earlier members of the royalty are also kept on display here.

The area where this palace is located is also known as Kowdiar and is one of the cleanest and greenest parts of the city. It is a posh area and home to upper-crust shopping centres and eateries. If you are interested in being a part of this scenario, there are luxury apartments by Favourite Homes available in nearby Pattom and PMG area. These premium apartment homes offer an unending array of luxurious amenities for a joyful living. For more details, please visit:https://www.favouritehomes.com/