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The Mattancherry Palace in Cochin was built by the Portuguese and offered to the king of Kochi, Veera Kerela Varma as a gift of honor. Also known as the Dutch Palace, this splendid and huge piece of architecture was built in 1555 and renovated in the 17th century. Features of the Mattancherry Palace, Cochin: - The walls of the palace have various paintings that resemble the Hindu temple art. There are scenes from Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Hindu stories depicted in these paintings. These murals decorate the beautiful private chambers of the palace, including the king's bedroom. The palace now features various artifacts and portraits of the Raja of Cochin. - The palace later acquired the name "Dutch Palace" as the Dutch refurbished it in the mid 17th century. The Dutch added a square tile roof and some extensions to the already existing structure. - The central hall of the Mattancherry Palace now serves as a portrait gallery that displays the pictures of the kings of Cochin from 1864 to 1964. There are also royal turbans, attires, palanquins, weapons and other items that remain as the existing proof of the royal lives. Also see the interesting Old Dutch maps of Cochin among the other royal relics. - The two arches at the entrance of the palace are typically Portuguese in appearance. The sloping tiled roof and the wooden balconies are also significant features of the palace. Also notice the floor of the palace that is made in the traditional Kerelian style. The floor that looks like polished black marbles but is actually made of a mixture of burned coconut shells, charcoal, lime, plant juices and egg whites. - In the courtyard of the temples there still exists the ancient Bhagvati, Shiva and Vishnu temples. Timings: The Mattancherry Palace is open to visitors from 10.00am to 5.00pm. However, the palace is closed on Fridays and other national holidays.
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