Bangalore Palace

In the technology-driven, futuristic Silicon Valley of India, monuments of historical significance boasting of a glorious past are also abundant. The historical heritage of the city is so magnificent and eminent that it rises to prominence on its own. 

One such landmark is the Tudor style Bangalore Palace.

The Palace is a perfect representation of the lavishness and splendour with which India's most resilient dynasties ruled. Famous for its opulent architecture and amusement activities, the Palace is visited by several visitors every day. 

The colossal Palace boasts of massive courtyards, bright interiors, kingly grounds, splendid spiral staircases, stately towers and a luscious garden in a proud display of posh regality.

Anyone who admires classic architecture and artistry would be delighted to experience it first hand at this Palace. It also houses an amusement park in its enclave to the delight of many younger visitors. 

Having been a private residence to the Wodeyar family, Bangalore palace offers a linear perspective into the royal life of the forepassed era. It is plush with a vibrant and varied collection of ancient royal artefacts, paraphernalia, hunting trophies and family photos.

The Palace houses some of the most famous paintings of the 19th Century, including the works of one of India's most celebrated artists Raja Ravi Verma. 

The Palace grounds very often become venues for concerts and festivals. World-renowned artists like Enrique and Guns N' Roses have graced the palace grounds with their talent and presence. The Palace hence combines the richness and luxury of royal history with the vivacious and exuberant demeanour of the youth. 

Bangalore Palace History

Originally a property of Reverend J Garrett, the principal of a school in the cantonment town at that time, the area where the Palace is now located was purchased from him by the British Guardians of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar for 40,000 rupees. 

The construction of the palace began in the year 1874. Mr John Cameron of Lalbagh was assigned the task of landscaping Palace along with its surroundings. The complete construction of the palace was completed in the year, 1878.

The Palace saw many additions and modifications in its architecture in subsequent years. Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar added a few portions like the twin external staircase, the platform for musicians etc. outside the Durbar Hall. 

In 1970, HH Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar transferred ownership of the property to two companies, Chamundi Hotels and Shree Venkateshwara Real Estate Enterprises. However, this transaction was later shown to be fraudulent. 

A legal battle followed between this deal and Jayachamarajendra's son, Srikanta Datta. The five sisters of Srikanta Datta are now in possession of sections of the 28 acres of the Palace. 

In the year 1990 Srikant Datta finally compromised with the Chamaraju group and got back his part of the property including the main Palace except for 45 acres that the Chamaraju group still retains. 

Architecture:

The Palace showcases exquisite wooden interiors surrounded by pristine walls. The Palace is enclosed within beautiful gardens. 

The architecture is a medley of Tudor style and Scottish style and has gothic undertones. A lot of physical artefacts inside are of British origin. 

It is said that the architecture of this building is inspired by that of the Windsor Castle and other architectural marvels of England and Normandy. 

The most prominent features of the Palace like the two-level granite structure of the fortified towers and turreted parapets take direct inspiration from the Tudor building styles. The entrance is decorated with grand Roman arches. 

The exterior of the building is covered in eccentric shapes and angles. The exterior walls are of a blushing cinnabar shade that gives the building a quaint Victorian vibe. 

The floor of the open courtyard of the Palace is adorned with granite seats covered with azure ceramic tiles. The ground floor also contains a beautifully decorated ballroom.

The first floor of the Palace has a distinct chamber known as the Durbar Hall attached to an ornate staircase.

This hall is famous for the enormous elephant head that is mounted in it and its gothic style tinted glass windows.  

Bangalore is one of the few Indian cities that has a pleasant climate throughout the year. The atmosphere both inside the Palace and outside is always quite relaxed and breezy. 

Hence one may choose to visit the Palace at any time of the year during visiting hours

However, the palace grounds look the most beautiful during March to June during the beginning of the onset of the Spring season. 

The cool breeze, soft sunlight and the soothing fragrance of leaves and earth that wafts to you during Springtime makes the experience of visiting this historical landmark all the more pleasurable. 

Location: The Palace is located between Jayamahal and Sadashivanagar at Palace Road in Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, 560052. 

Timings: The timings of the Palace extend from 10 in the morning to 5:30 in the evening. 

Price: The price to enter the Palace is INR 230 per person for Indian visitors and INR 460 per person for foreign tourists.

Places to Visit near Bangalore Palace:

1. Fun World - Only a few minutes away from Bangalore Palace, Fun World is an amusement park for enthusiasts of all ages. It offers some of the most thrilling rides that families can enjoy together.

Its main attractions are the tsunami rides, wild roller coasters, the Yahooooo slide, The Curse of the black pearl, the bumper vehicles and much more. Fun World is the most famous for its exciting water rides, wave pools and larger than life adventure. 

2. Cubbon Park- Cubbon Park is only 2.5 kilometres away from the Bangalore Palace. Situated in the heart of the city, the park is home to an aquarium, a toy train, library, museum, statues, halls and a lot more. 

The park, with its abundant greenery and oxygen-rich air, is a jogger's delight and a child's paradise. A library is also situated in the park for book lovers. 

3. Malleswaram - A bustling suburban locale in the centre of the city, Malleswaram blends the urban world with the endearing and nostalgic country-life. 

You can wander around the place, exploring temples or spend your time in the local market haggling for authentic kanjivaram fabrics. 

Malleswaram also hosts one of Bangalore's most famous cafés, Central Tiffin Room Bangalore where you can stop by for a scrumptious bite. 

4. ISKCON Temple Bangalore- Only a few kilometres away from the Bangalore palace, there is a beautiful ISKCON temple on the Hare Krishna Hill, at Chord Road in Bangalore. 

Built in 1997, the temple is famous for its generous service and handsome figurines of the various deities it is home to. The temple conducts a free distribution of prasadam to all visitors who visit during the darshan or visiting hours of the day. 

5. Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum- Visvesvaraya Museum is a museum which takes you through a journey of technology in the technological capital of India. It is a place where both adults and children can learn new things about the Industrial culture of the city. The museum is situated at a distance of 2.7 km from the Bangalore Palace. 

Facts about Bangalore Palace:

1.The Bangalore Palace served as the residence of the Wodeyar royal family for a long time..  

2. The Palace is currently owned by Smt. Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the heiress to Srikanta Datta Wadiyar. 

3. It was built at the cost of a whopping one million rupees. 

4. Artists like Iron Maiden, the Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Backstreet Boys, Metallica and Aerosmith have all performed in the grounds of the Palace at one point of time. 

5. The grounds are vast and stretch for about 453 acres. 

6. Its furniture features both Edwardian and neo-classical themes. 

7. The Palace has a collection of almost 30,000 photographs. 

8. The Palace was initially owned by a reverend named J Garrett who was the principal of Central High School which is now known as Central College. 

9. The Palace is an excellent specimen of cross-cultural architecture. Despite its mainly Tudor and Scottish styles, the Durbar Hall houses a Spanish bench. 

10. The Palace was not open to the public until 2005. 

11. The Palace can be seen in a few Hindi movies including 'Jo jeeta wohi Sikander,' 'Coolie,' and 'Barsaat.'

12. Following a legal glitch with the Karnataka Government, the Palace is no longer allowed to be used for commercial use. 

Tips for visiting Bangalore Palace:

1. One must keep in mind the following things while exploring the Bangalore Palace:

2. Photography is limited at the Palace. If you want to take pictures anywhere inside the monument, you must collect the token that allows photography at the time of entering the Palace. 

3. You should never try to tamper with or touch any paintings, artefacts or decorative furniture. One may end up causing damage to them as they are decades old. 

4.Littering is strictly prohibited inside the premises of the site. It is not taken kindly and is a punishable offence. 

5. To fully understand and appreciate the history of the place, you may explore the area with the help of a guide. They are readily available at the Palace.

6. Only certain sections of the Palace are available to the public, so make sure not to enter forbidden areas. 

The commute from Bangalore Airport to Bangalore Palace is slightly lengthy but a pleasant one. There are several vehicle options one can take to reach the Palace. Some of them are:

Cabs: Cab Service is an effective and quick way to travel anywhere around the city. It has options like share cabs in which you can share a car or taxi with another passenger hence making your ride more affordable. 

Bus: Several BMTC buses start from the central terminal to the Bangalore Palace.

Auto Rickshaw: There are several auto rickshaws available for hire outside the Bangalore Airport.