Krishnapuram Palace

Krishnapuram Palace
കൃഷ്ണപുരം കൊട്ടാരം
Krishnapuram Palace in 2021, front
Krishnapuram Palace is located in Kerala
Krishnapuram Palace
Location within Kerala
General information
Architectural stylePathinerakettu
Kerala Architectural style
Town or cityKayamkulam and Krishnapuram in Alappuzha district
CountryIndia
Coordinates9°09′01″N 76°30′31″E / 9.1503°N 76.5086°E / 9.1503; 76.5086
Construction started1700–1775 CE; rebuilt in the 18th century
CompletedRecent renovation in the 1950s
Demolished.
ClientOriginally by Veera Ravi Varma and rebuilt in the 18th century by Anizham Thirunal Martanda Varma (1729–1758 CE) and now Archaeology Department of the Government of Kerala
Technical details
Structural systemLaterite stone, rubble, teak, rosewood and Angili wood
SizeOriginally 56 acres (23 ha) now 2.55 acres (1.03 ha)
Design and construction
EngineerInitially by ramayyan Dalava later by Ayyappan Marthan da Pillai

The Krishnapuram Palace is a palace and museum located in Kayamkulam near Alappuzha in Alappuzha district, Kerala in southwestern India. It was built in the 18th century by Anizham Thirunal Marthanda Varma (1729–1758 CE), the Travancore kingdom. It is built in the architectural style of Kerala with gabled roof, narrow corridor and dormer windows, near the Krishnaswamy Temple at Krishnapuram.[1][2][3][4][5]

The palace is maintained by the Kerala State Department of Archaeology and contains exhibits that belonged to the Palace and its former occupant, the Travancore Maharaja Marthanda Varma. It is also famous for a large pond within the palace complex.[1] It is also said that an underground escape route runs from the bottom of the pond as a possible escape route from enemies.[2][5]

Among the many Kerala-style paintings seen in the palace, a distinctly placed mural painting is titled "Gajendra Moksham" of 154 square feet (14.3 m2) size, which is said to be the largest such find in Kerala. It is placed on the western end of the ground floor of the palace.[2][6]

The double edged Kayamkulam Vaal (sword) is also on display here. The palace houses, in its courtyard, one of the four statues of Buddha found in Alappuzha District.[7][8]

  1. ^ a b "Krishnapuram Palace". Archaeology Department of Government of Kerala. Archived from the original on 22 January 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  2. ^ a b c File:Gajendramoksham.jpg: Official plaque at the Palace Complex
  3. ^ "Krishnapuram Palace and Archeological Museum, Kayamkulam, Alappuzha (Alleppey) Kerala, India". alappuzhaonline.com. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  4. ^ "Krishnapuram Palace Alappuzha". keralafreelisting.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2011.
  5. ^ a b "A monument from a glorious past". The Hindu. 21 October 2006. Archived from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  6. ^ Asok K. Bhattacharya; Śrīkumāra (1974). Citralakṣaṇa : a treatise on Indian painting. Saraswat Library. p. 23. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  7. ^ Subodh Kapoor (2002). The Indian Encyclopaedia: Kamli-Kyouk Phyu. Cosmo Publications. pp. 4093–. ISBN 978-81-7755-270-6. Retrieved 20 March 2011.
  8. ^ S. N. Sadasivan (October 2000). A social history of India. APH Publishing. pp. 131–132. ISBN 978-81-7648-170-0. Retrieved 20 March 2011.