Architecture of Mysore Palace shows the grandeur of mighty Mughal Empire and the art and sculpture of Muslims with the essence of South Indian pigment. Mysore Palace, once the residence of the Maharajas of Mysore is one of the largest palaces of its kind in India and one of the most splendid. The Mysore Palace dominates the skyline of Mysore and it has beautifully designed square towers at cardinal points, covered with domes.
Mysore Palace is a three-storied structure, built in Indo-Saracenic style with domes, turrets, arches and colonnades; the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. The tastefully decorated and intricately carved doors open into luxuriously decorated rooms. Henry Irwin, the British consultant architect of Madras, designed it. Mysore Palace was originally built of wood, which got burnt down in 1897 AD and was rebuilt in 1912 AD, by the twenty-fourth Wodeyar Raja.
The old palace of Mysore was the seat of Power for Krishna Raja Wodeyar the third who ruled from 1799 until 1868. The design and the typical of Hindu architecture of Mysore Palace use a simple column-and-beam structure. The columns however, were elaborately carved in the style commonly found in Mughal or Persian, courts. The ground floor of Mysore Palace an open common space was where the family members could move freely. It`s sometimes referred to as the children`s gallery, perhaps because this is where they could run around and play.
The first floor of Mysore Palace was the Durbar Hall, the grand reception hall, the place where the king would conduct his business of the day, receive guests of state and entertain dignitaries. It was also where major celebrations would occur. The hall of Mysore Palace was 65 square feet and had a raised centre in the ceiling. Apart from the floors which were a mix of plaster and mortar, the entire palace was made from wood.
In 1897, in the Mysore Palace during wedding celebrations of Princess Jayalakshmi Ammani, a fire in the kitchen blazed out of control, and the palace was almost completely destroyed. Only the temple of Atmavilas Ganapthi was left standing, and this was incorporated in the new building. Queen Vanivilasa Sannidhana, who was then the regent, wasted no time in commissioning a new palace to be built on the foundations of the old. No expense was spared in installing whatever was necessary, to make it fireproof, she wanted to ensure that this palace would last, and so it has.
