Once a seat of the government, the Maharaja's palace in Mysore is the epitome of grandeur and extravagance that was during the British Raj. In 1897 the old wooden palace was completely burnt down in a fire mishap during the princess's marriage. So a new palace had to be built to match the royal stature of the Wodeyars of Mysore who had succeeded in making Mysore state, the model state of British India.

Domes, parapet balconies, verandahs, minarets, cupolas and arches combine harmoniously to make the structure a veritable masterpiece of lasting beauty. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style on the exterior, but retaining the native Dravidian style, it was designed by the British architect Henry Irwin. This three storeyed structure has beautifully designed square towers at various cardinal points covered by domes and the gold-plated dome at the centre rises 145 feet above the ground.

Nearly 10,000 tourists flock the palace each day, coming from all over the globe to see the opulence and luxury of the bygone era. The palace continues to be the residence of the scion of the Mysore royal family, Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, who has set up a private museum at the rear side of the palace.

	The golden dome, standing tall at 145 feet above ground as the pinnacle of this architectural wonder, is centrally placed among several domes.
The view from the central dome tower towards the city, with the golden top circle and adjoining temple in the foreground.
	Grand chandeliers brought from Czechoslovakia illuminate the dancing hall, supported by gold painted pillars. The ceiling is completely transparent covered by stained glass designs.
The inner courtyard behind the main durbar where rituals of the Dasara festivities like the Ayudha Puja and wrestling are held every year.
	Ornate metal cast elegant stairs lead from the durbar hall to the private interiors of the palace.
The glass dome with stained glasses in beautiful geometrical patterns with peacock motif dominating the ceiling are the creations of local artistes working with foreign experts from England.
	Regular maintenance of the interiors is taken care by the Archaeological department to keep the palace in its original glory.
The grandeur of the interiors is reflected in the Swarna Mantap or the Dancing Hall just beside the Main Durbar Hall.

|