Bangalore Palace

Bangalore Palace was built as a smaller replica of the Windsor Castle in England by Rev. Garrett, who was the first Principal of the Central High School in Bangalore. The construction of the palace was started in 1862 and completed in 1944. In 1884, it was bought by the Maharaja of Mysore, Chamaraja Wodeyar.



Currently the palace is owned by Srikanta Datta Narsimharaja Wadiyar, the present descendent of the Mysore Royal family.

The palace has an eye-catching design and has been crafted in a Tudor style with Gothic windows, foiled windows, battlements and turrets- emblematic of Georgian and Victorian design prevalent in medieval England.

Spread over an area of about 430 acres, the Palace is famous for its elegantly carved woodwork. Bangalore Palace is right in the heart of the city. With a built-up area of around 45,000 sq. ft., this 120 year old monument is a popular tourist attraction. It is surrounded by a garden all around. The structure has fortified towers complete with Gothic windows, battlements and turrets. This palace is largely constructed of wood, and is famous for its carving and paintings. An exquisite door panel at the entrance leads to grand settings inside.The palace has recently undergone a renovation.

The main attractions of Bangalore Palace include a chair to weigh jockeys. The Wadiyar rulers were passionate about horse racing and this chair is shaped in the form of a horse's hoof, with a measuring stand on the right and a weighing scale to the left. Another interesting feature of the Bangalore Palace is the Coat of Arms, which were gifted to the Chamaraja Wadiyar X by the British. In the centre of this coat of arms is the Ganda Bherunda, a mythological two headed bird, which was an emblem of the Wadiyar Empire. Situated on the other side is another mythological animal with the head of an elephant and lion - symbolizing royalty and power.

The Maharaja's courtyard in the palace contains a fountain, which was gift by the King of Spain, Don Alphonso, when he visited the palace. After he was displaced and came to India, Don Alphonse was extremely impressed by the comfort the courtyard provided him. This was primarily because of the Moorish architecture which was also common in Spain. It was after this visit that Alphonso gifted Maharaja Wadiyar the fountain and bench.

Apart from this, the palace is decorated with Greek and Dutch paintings and also paintings by Raja Ravi Verma. The love the Wadiyar's had for hunting is evident from the head of an elephant killed by Jayachamaraja Wadiyar which hangs at the entrance of the palace.

The sprawling grounds surrounding the palace are used for holding public events including music concerts. Some of the well known international music bands and rockstars that have performed here include The Rolling Stones (2003), Bryan Adams (2001, 2004 & 2006), Scorpions (2001), Sting (2005), Iron Maiden (2007 & 2009), Sepultura (2007), Aerosmith (2007), Deep Purple (2001), Elton John (2002), Roger Waters (2002), Mark Knopfler (2005), Joe Satriani (2005), Uriah Heep (2006), Black Eyed Peas (2007), Megadeth/Machine Head (2008) , Satyricon (2008) and Jay Sean, Metallica, Ludacris & Flo Rida (2011).

Renovation
Srikanta Datta Narsimharaja Wadiyar worked towards renovating this palace after he obtained the right to own it. The woodwork has been renovated and the ballroom has been redone. Even the brass-fittings and lamps have been replaced and the furniture has been newly upholstered. Out of the collection of 30,000 photographs currently present in the palace, it is planned that about 1,000 of them will be restored and put up for viewing in an exhibition. A room has been converted into a boutique where silks and other garments used by the royal family will be exhibited. The palace is open to the public who can visit it after paying a fee. There are also plans to rent out the ballroom for private parties and to sell silk scarves, photographs and other articles used by the royal family to tourists. Illumination of the palace and renovating the gardens using Mexican grass is in progress.

Bangalore Palace Address
Bangalore palace
Vasant Nagar, Bangalore,
Karnataka 560052
Phone Number: 080 23360818

Visiting Hours Timings
10 am to 6 pm (Monday to Saturday)

Entry Fee
Indian Tourists: Rs.175
Foreign Tourists: Rs. 350
Video Making: Rs.1000
Photography: Rs. 500

Hotels & Accomodation in Bangalore
KSTDC Conducted Bangalore Sightseeing Tours

Distance from Bangalore Palace, Vasanth Nagar to Hosa Road is 19.1 km and takes around 1 h 3 min via Sarjapur Main Road.

Bangalore Palace Route Map and Events - Bangalore Palace Wedding