Padmanabhapuram

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Padmanabhapuram (Tamil: பத்மனாபபுரம் Patmaṉāpapuram, Malayalam: പദ്മനാഭപുരം Padmanabhapuram [ pad̪mə ˌ na ː b ʱ əpuɾʌm ] ) is a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the district of Kanyakumari just north of the southern tip of India ( Cape Comorin ) near the border of the neighboring Federal state of Kerala. The next largest cities are the district capital Nagercoil and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum ), the capital of Kerala. According to the 2011 census Padmanabhapuram has around 21,000 inhabitants.

History

The Padmanabhapuram insignificant today was from 1550 for two hundred years the residence of the kings of Travancore, who ruled the southern part of present-day Kerala. The city's name derives from Padmanabha ( " he with the Lotus Abel " ) from, a manifestation of Lord Vishnu who was worshiped by the rulers of Travancore as a family deity. 1750, the capital was moved to Thiruvananthapuram. After the Indian independence in 1947 Padmanabhapuram first came to the state of Travancore -Cochin, before the southern part of Travancore in 1956 was the state of Madras slammed as the district of Kanyakumari ( Tamil Nadu since 1969 ).

Royal Palace

The main attraction of the city is the Royal Palace of Padmanabhapuram, which as the largest wooden palace in Asia applies. The large, 2.4 -acre complex consists of numerous buildings of different ages, which are mostly built of wood, and is one of the most important examples of the Keralite architecture dar. Although today Padmanabhapuram belongs to Tamil Nadu, the palace complex is still owned the Government of Kerala.

Udayagiri Fort

Near the palace is the Udayagiri Fort in the 17th and 18th centuries. The fort was once the headquarters of the army of the Indian princely state of Travancore. The Fort itself, the mighty enclosing received. Inside, a park was created in which there is a chapel ruins from the 18th century. It holds the tombs of the Flemish General Eustace de Lannoy (1715-1777) and his family. As an officer of the Dutch East India Company, he came in 1741, after the Battle of Colachel in Indian captivity and was commander of the army of the State of Travancore. The devout Catholic, who was married to an Indian woman, Raja Marthanda Varma built a chapel and allowed him the freedom of religion. Here learned the Hindu nobles and palace officials Devasahayam Pillai know the Catholic faith, converted to Catholicism despite the ban and therefore was executed in 1752. 2012 was his beatification.

Pictures

Padmanabhapuram Palace, main with inner gate, from the atrial

Padmanabhapuram Palace, inside the entrance gate

Padmanabhapuram palace, building with the audience hall

Padmanabhapuram Palace, partial view

Detail of the palace

Portico at the Palace interior

Padmanabhapuram Palace, Audience Hall

Padmanabhapuram Palace, dining room

Padmanabhapuram Palace, stairs to the bedchamber of Raja

Padmanabhapuram Palace, bedchamber of Raja

Udayagiri Fort, enclosing

Udayagiri Fort, chapel of General de Lannoy Eustachius

Udayagiri Fort, chapel ruin with the covered graves

Udayagiri Fort, grave of General de Lannoy Eustachius