Thirumalai Nayak Palace

Thirumalai Nayak Palace is a palace erected in 1636 CE by King Tirumala Nayaka, of Madurai's Nayaka dynasty who ruled Madurai from 1623 to 1659. The Palace building, which is seen today, was the main palace, in which the king lived. The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. In its heydays, the palace was considered to be one of the wonders of the South. The palace is located two kilometres south east of the Meenakshi Amman Temple.

The Nayaks of Madurai ruled from 1545 until the 1740s and Thirumalai Nayak was one of their greatest kings who built various buildings in and around Madurai. During the 17th century the Madurai Kingdom had Portuguese, Dutch and other Europeans as traders, missionaries and visiting travelers.

Thirumalai Nayak intended the palace to be one of the grandest in South India. The Interior of the palace surpasses many of its Indian contemporaries in scale. The interior is richly decorated while the exterior is treated in a more austere style.

During the 18th century, many structures that were part of this palace were pulled down or incorporated into buildings in the adjacent streets. What remains is the enclosed court known as the Svarga Vilasam and a few adjoining buildings. The audience chamber of the Svarga Vilasam is a vast hall with arcades about 12 m high. The court yard of Svarga Vilasam measures 75 m by 50 m. The architecture is a blend of indigenous and Islamic forms. Thirumalai nayakar mahal is famous for its giant pillars. Pillar's height is 25 m and width is 5.8 m.

Upon entering into the gates of the palace, there is a central courtyard. The courtyard is surrounded by massive circular pillars and has a circular garden.

The palace was divided into two major parts, namely Swarga Vilasam (Celestial Pavilion) and Ranga Vilasam. The courtyard and the dancing hall are the major center of attractions of the palace.

After independence, the Thirumalai Palace was declared as a national monument and is now under the protection of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department. This palace is open for the visitors daily. The palace is well equipped to perform light and sound shows depicting the story of Silappathikaram both in Tamil and English languages.