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The city of Mysore is located in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka. Also referred as the City of Palaces, Mysore houses a large selection of palaces in and around the city. Sightseeing in Mysore will be incomplete without a trip to the famous Mysore palace at the heart of the city. The Palace in Mysore is the erstwhile residence of the Wodeyars, the Royal family of Mysore. Also known as Maharaja's Palace, it the most visited tourist attraction in the city. The palace is located at Mirza Road in the heart of Mysore, Karnataka. The Maharaja's Palace is one of the largest existing monuments in India and is also referred as the Amba Vilas by many historians. The original palace at Mysore burnt down in 1897 and the present structure was built on the remains of the old in 1912 by the then King of Mysore. The monument was re-designed by Henry Irwin, a well known British architect who combined Hindu, Islamic, Rajput and Gothic architectural styles to build the Mysore Palace. It is a three storied monument which spreads across an area of 245 feet in length and 156 feet in breadth. The palace is well known for its marble domes and five storied tower that is approximately 145 feet tall. Every year the palace plays host to the famous Hindu festival of Dussehra. During these ten days of celebration the palace is lit up with bulbs and leadings artists from across the country gather to perform on the palace grounds. One of the most famous spectacles during the festivities is the elephant parade on the tenth day of the celebration. The palace premises include a large gateway known as the 'Gombe Thotti' or the Doll's Pavilion. The main entrance of the palace is also known as the elephant gate and is adorned with floral designs and designs of bears which is the royal symbol of Mysore. The northern edge of the gates has been decorated with hand crafted dolls that date back to nineteenth and twentieth century. The gate also houses a ceremonial wooden elephant carriage which has been decorated with 84 kilograms of gold. The palace premises also feature twelve temples including the Varashaswamy Temple which boasts of Dravidian style of architecture. The Royal family still conducts religious ceremonies in the temple premises. Today, the Mysore palace has been converted into a museum that is open for public viewing. The palace houses a varied selection of paintings and portraits and royal costumes of the Wodeyars which have been displayed at the three storied palace. The palace also has the largest collection of gold items which include 200 kilogram gold royal throne.
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