Tipu Sultan palace




About



A slice of the modern electronic city of Bengaluru still stands witness to the historic era of the great warrior Tipu Sultan and his bravery. The area located near the crowded City Market at the junction of Albert Victor Road and Krishna Rajendra, houses the Tipu Sultan Fort. The palace is in the precincts of the fort.

This palace stands as one of the notable Islamic buildings and an important landmark in the city of Bengaluru. This was used as a summer retreat by the Sultan, who lovingly called it the "Rash-e-Jannat", meaning "Envy of Haven". He also called it "Abode of Happiness", which can be seen inscribed on a window screen. Beautiful gardens along the paths, decorated with a fountain and flower beds, lead you to the Tipu Sultan Palace. It speaks about the mighty Sultan and his endeavours to protect his empire from the British rule, and is a must-see destination if you are on a trip to Bengaluru. This palace was opened for the public in 2005.

History and Architecture

Back in 1537, Kempe Gowda, who was the founder of the city, built the fort, which was extended later by Tipu Sultan. Hyder Ali, father of Tipu Sultan, imprisoned many British army officers in this fort, of whom David Braid was one. Then Hyder Ali started the construction of the palace in 1781 and it was completed by his son Tipu Sultan in 1791, upon which people started calling it Tipu's Palace.

The entire palace is built of teak wood, mortar, stone and plaster. It is laid on a stone plinth. The structure is two-storied and is supported by wooden pillars that rest on the stone base. The exquisitely carved pillars support giant wooden beams that constitute the palace structure. The pillars are met with brackets and cusped arches that are decorated with beautiful carvings emphasized in two colours. The carvings at the base of the pillars are designed in such a way that it looks as if the pillars have emerged out of flowers. The walls and ceilings have madder-red surfaces that are embellished with floral motifs, giving it a magnificent look. The palace portrays a perfect picture of Indo-Islamic style art and architecture.

Four staircases lead to the first floor. A large hall embraces the first floor with four rooms at four corners. The rooms were Zenana quarters, considered to be used by the ladies of the royal family. There are two projecting balconies, one on the east and the other on the west side. It is said that the Sultan used to hold Durbar in the hall to conduct the affairs of his state, with the state officials seated in the balcony area.

Tickets are availed from the counter located near the main gate.

Location and how to reach

The Tipu Sultan Palace is located near the crowded City Market of Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, at the junction of Albert Victor Road and Krishna Rajendra in the enclosure of the Tipu Sultan Fort. The city of Bangalore is well connected with other metro cities of India by rail and air. Many international flights come directly to the Bangalore city. The city is quite approachable from most of the important cities and towns of South India by road and rail.

Last Updated on : 30/10/2013