Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal is a palace built in 1636 by Tirumala Nayaka who is a king of the Madurai Nayak dunasty. He ruled Madurai from 1623 to 1659. This palace is near Meenakshi Amman temple. The present structure is the main palace which served as the living quarters of the King, and the original palace complex was four times larger.
The Nayaks of Madurai ruled this Kingdom from 1545 until the 1740s. Thirumalai Nayak was one of their greatest Kings and is ideal for various buildings in & around Madurai. Over 400 years many parts of the buildings suffered the destructive effects of war. Lord Napier, the Givernor of Madras, had partially restored the palace from 1866 to 1872. Today, we get to see the entrance gate, the main hall and the dance hall.
King hired an Italian architect to design the complex, and hence some qualify it as Dravidian -Italian architecture. The courtyard of Svarga Vilasam measures 75 m by 50 m. This palace is famous for its giant pillars. Pillar's height is 82 ft and width is 19 ft. Historically, the palace measured 554,000 sq ft and was 900 ft long by 660 ft wide.
Madurai bus stand is located at a distance of around 6 KM from the palace. Anna bus stand is the nearest bus stop at a distance of 3.2 KM from the palace. From there, you can take an auto rickshaw to reach the palace.
Panthadi 1st St, Mahal Area, Madurai Main, Madurai, Tamil Nadu 625001
