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Lalitha Mahal Palace
Photograph by T.N.A. Perumal, F.R.P.S., M.F.I.A.P.
The Lalitha Mahal Palace has been compared to a Tudor mansion, an Italian palazzo and St Paul's Cathedral! Its obviously European architectural style could have been in deference to the intended occupants of the palace: it was built as a residence for the visiting Viceroy of India…and has played host to many important British guests of the Maharaja.
Located at the foot of Chamundi Hill, the shimmering white Lalitha Mahal Palace was commissioned by Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar in 1921 and designed by Bombay-based architect E.W. Fitchley. The palace, which is the second largest in Mysore, was completed ten years later, at a cost of Rs 13 lakh. It is a majestic building, made of white Italian marble and set in the midst of landscaped gardens. Standing two storeys high, the palace is graced with iconic columns, a projecting porch and domes set on colonnaded drums. The interiors are designed on a royal scale: a dramatically sweeping staircase of Venetian marble, a ballroom and banquet hall and a specially furnished Viceroy's Room are highlights. The rich embellishments sing of the skills of Mysore's craftsmen. Decorative motifs cover walls and ceilings. Wooden window shutters and wall panels are intricately carved. There is an abundance of stained glass and beautifully glazed tiles.
After Independence, the Lalitha Mahal Palace was converted into a five-star hotel. Its 54 rooms, not to mention restaurants and other facilities, give visitors a sense of what it must have been like to live as guests of royalty.
Some other palaces in this “City of Palaces” include: The Jagan Mohan Palace, where the royal family lived during the construction of the Amba Vilas Palace; now an art gallery and museum. The Rajendra Vilas Palace, on Chamundi Hill, once the summer palace, later a hotel, now under major renovation. The Vasantha Mahal or Pleasure Palace, which served as a school for the royal children, later a hotel, which is now closed down.
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| St Philomena's Cathedral |
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The much loved Mysore landmark, St Philomena's Cathedral, dates back to 1956. With spires rising to a height of 53 metres, the cathedral was designed in the medieval Gothic architectural style by the Reverend Rene Feuge. The nave of the cathedral can seat up to 800 people and it has exquisite stained glass windows that depict scenes from the life of Christ.
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