Thanjavur Palace

Thanjavur Palace Review

Thanjavur Palace is the central building in the great fort built by Nayak and Maratha kings. It's hard to find your way around this dilapidated complex, much less imagine it in its prime, but visits to the Marata Durbar (audience) Hall and the Art Gallery (in Nayak Durbar Hall) are worth the effort. The art gallery has a magnificent collection of Chola bronzes, and the Marata Durbar Hall is beautiful and over-the-top, with primary-color stripes on the columns and ornate designs on the arches. Nearby is the seven-story bell tower, with impressive views of the temple and the rest of Thanjavur. The Royal Museum displays clothing, arms, and other regal memorabilia. Near the Durbar Hall is the Saraswati Mahal Library, with 46,000 rare palm-leaf and paper manuscripts in many languages. A small gallery there displays some of the more oddball and entertaining of the library's holdings (no cameras allowed), including some quaint books on nature and physiognomy. Bring lots of small bills to the palace, since many of the museums require separate admission and camera fees. To get here, look for the signboard on the side of the road.