Padmanabhapuram Palace, also known as Kalkulam Palace is a palace belonging to the time of Travancore rule and is located in Padmanabhapuram in the Kanyakumari district of TamilNadu. This palace is government property and is maintained & managed by the Kerala Government.
The palace complex is situated within a old granite fortress at the foot of the Veli Hills, part of the Western Ghats. It was built in the traditional Kerala architectural style which includes the King's Council Chamber, Thai Kottaram, Nataksala, a four layered mansion, Thekke Kottaram and a Indira Vilasom ( a guest house).
The palace was constructed by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Venad between 1592 and 1609. King Marthaanda Varma offered his kingdom to his family deity Sree Padmanabha and ruled as his humble servant, known as Padmanabha Dasa.
In 1795 the capital of Travancore was shifted to Trivandrum and in 1935, the palace was converted into a museum. The palace remained under the ownership and control of the Kerala Government and is maintained by the Archaeology Department Govt of Kerala.
Padmanabhapuram bus stop is the nearest bus stop which is just 170m away from the palace and can be reached easily by walk from the bus stop.
