Bangalore Palace, a palace located in the city of Bangalore, India, was built to look like a smaller replica of the Windsor Castle in England. Here are the 9 reasons why you should visit the Bangalore Palace.
1. The Stuffed Toys Of The King
King Chamaraja Wodeyar was a king in the true sense that he had unique ideas . The idea of having bar stools made of paws of different animals with cushions placed over them may seem a bit too much to have a drink. It is not easy to miss the stuffed elephant head at the entrance of the palace.
2. Built By A School Principal
Bangalore Palace was built by Rev. J. Garrett who was the first principal of Central High School (Present Day Central College). It was the time when Mysore Kingdom was under the British rule. It goes without saying that the colonial architecture is pretty vivid in all parts of the palace.
3. The Unique Sofas
The Rajas are supposed to have ways to make their lives even easier. Imagine having a wooden seat with an inbuilt weighing machine. It must have been devised for the king to keep his weight in check, or maybe it was meant for the queen. This wooden sofa that can seat two people can calculate the weight of the person sitting on it. You don’t’ need to avoid this seat as the weighing scale has gone out of order. But you can always sit on it to get a feel of some royalty.
4. A Popular Venue For Rock Concerts
5. Jewels and The Curse
No palace is complete without jewels and embellishments. According to legends some of the palace jewels were stolen by the royal consort of the then Viceroy . When she was asked to return the jewels, she refused, adding to the drama she cursed the King, swearing that the King will have no progeny.
6. A Scottish Gothic Style Architecture
A big part of the palace has been converted into galleries featuring hunting trophies, family photos and a collection of Indian and international paintings. Gothic windows, fortified towers lend a great degree of magnificence to the Bangalore Palace. Mainly constructed of wood, it features splendid carvings and paintings.
7. Bangalore Palace was built in 1862 at the exorbitant cost of one million rupees
So exquisitely built , all this beauty came at a whopping price of a million rupees. Though Bangalore Palace is not as big as Mysore Palace, its interiors are exotic and interesting to explore. Chandeliers, unique artifacts, wooden staircases, lawns and extravagant furniture interiors give the palace a supremely royal look and feel.
8. Most Kannada movies are shot here
Bangalore Palace stands amid sprawling lawn spread over 13,700 sq m (147,466 sq ft). The palace is now rented out as a popular venue for functions such as weddings, music concerts, and film shoots. No Kannada movie is considered complete if a scene is not shot here. Many international artists have performed in these grounds.
9. Audio Guide at Bangalore Palace
The audio guide gives authentic information about the palace. It will take you on a 40 minute tour of the palace with an involving narration about the history and heritage of the palace.
Deets
Address: Mathura Rd, Near Delhi Zoo, New Delhi, Delhi 110003
Cost: ₹ 230 – ₹ 1485