THIRUMALAI NAYAK PALACE
Built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak, the building we see today was the main Palace where the King lived. The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure.
The palace consists of two parts, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa, containing the royal residence, theatre, shrine, appartments, armory, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden.
The king celebrated festivals like Scepter festival, Navarathri, Chithirai festival, Masi festival and the Float festival. The palace was also a dance and music center. This palace was destroyed by his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak and the valuables were transferred to other places.
The palace was renovated in the 19th Century by Lord Napier the then Governor of the state of Madras.
|  madurai thirumalai nayak mahal |
Today, only the spacious rectangular courtyard called the Swarga Vilasam and a few adjoining buildings survive, their awesome scale evoking the grandeur of a vanished era. The huge courtyard is surrounded by massive circular pillars. To its west lies the Throne Chamber, a vast room with a raised, octagonal dome which leads to the Dance Hall.
After independence, this palace was declared a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamilnadu Archaeological Department. It can be visited from 9 a.m to 5 p.m on payment of the entrance fee. |  madurai thirumalai nayak mahal insideview | TOMBS OF THE MADURAI SULTAN
The Sultans of Madurai ruled the city after the invasion in 1310 by Malik Kafur, a general of Alauddin Khilji. They lie burried to the north of the city. The complex includes Alauddins Mosque, with its flat - roofed prayer hall and tapering octagonal towers, and the tomb of a local Sufi saint, Bara Mastan Sada, built in the 16th century. | | |
|
|
Overview : Madurai
Religious : Meenakshi Temple Azhagar Temple, Azhagar Temple
Places Close by : Narasingam Thirumohoor, Nagamalai Caves, Pazhamudhircholai, Tiruvadavur
|
|
