Mattancherry Palace in Kochi

Mattancherry Palace, also called ss the Dutch Palace, is located in Mattancherry of the ErnakulamDistrict of the state of Kerala in India. The Palace has  Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi. The Mattancherry palace is located at the Palace Road in Mattancherry in Kochi and was built by the Portuguese and presented to Veera Kerala Varma who was the rajah of Kochi  in the year 1555 AD. 

The Dutch carried out renovations in the palace in the year 1663  and from then onwards the palace was called Dutch Palace.  Nowadays you can see a portrait gallery of the Kochi rajahs  and some of the notable mythological murals in India. 

 

Construction and the design of the Mattancherry palace

 The Palace has a quadrangular structure which has been built in the Nalukettu style with a courtyard in the middle. There is small temle for the goddess Pazhayannur Bhagawathy in the middle of the courtyard. here are two more temples on either side of the palace  one of Lord Krishna and the other of Lord Shiva. 

There is a dining hall carved with wooden ornate ceiling  which is decorated with a series of brass cups.  There are also some rare examples of the tradtional Kerala black polished flooring   which is made from a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites.

The whole glory of the Dutch / Mattancherry palace lies on the large number of murals  which are executed in the best tradtions of the Hindu temple art. There are photos of rajahs of Cochin from the year 1864 onwards  are displayed in the coronation hall of the mattancherry palace.  There is an ivory palanquin, a howdah, royal umbrellas, ceremonial dress which were used by the royalty as well as coins, stamps and drawings. 

At present the palace is under Archaeological survey of India  and has been declared a protected monumnt.