Thanjavur Royal Palace, Thanjavur

Visitor Information

• Famous For: Paintings, Statues, Manuscripts, History, Learning and Photography
• Entrance Fee: The entrance fee is 50 INR. Cameras are allowed at a fee of 30 INR.
• Visiting Time: Royal Palace stays open every day, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and remains closed during lunch hours. The Royal Palace is closed on public holidays.
• Visit Duration: Two hours, approximately.

Thanjavur is a district in Tamil Nadu, highly popular for its worldwide famous temples which stand today as testimony of fantastic architectural skills of the ancient Tamils. Thanjavur has also carved a name for itself in the field of art, thanks to the traditional Thanjavur paintings. The Royal Palace of Thanjavur is a primary place of interest in Tamil Nadu, since it hosts myriad primeval items including the Thanjavur paintings, statues from the Pallava, Chola, Pandiya and Nayaka periods. It is also known as ‘Aranmanai’ and sometimes referred to as the Maratha Palace Complex.  The palace was constructed by the Nayakas and then taken over by the Marathas. The palace complex has many sections and each section is worth devoting time.

Traveller Tips

• Do not fidget with the properties of Royal Palace. The items displayed here have been treasured for years together.
• You are guaranteed to get to see some amazing paintings and items used by the royals of the past. So, it is worth paying a few bucks to carry your camera inside and capture the rare sightings.
• Try visiting all the sections of the Royal Palace to leave no stone unturned. The Royal Palace is a storehouse of brilliant rich stuff of the past and your mouth would gape in awe, at every section.

Things to Do

• Do not miss to watch the AV displays in the cinema hall. These are played on an hourly basis from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and highlight the history of Thanjavur.
• Of all sections of the Royal Palace, the must visit sections are the Saraswati Mahal Library Museum and the Art Gallery. Especially for the avid readers, Saraswati Mahal is sure to leave you in awe.
• The Mahratta Dharbar Hall, a section in the Royal Palace, is adorned with some fantastic art of the past and those seeking to learn about Indian art, should definitely step in here.
• History scholars and history buffs are sure to gain a massive amount of knowledge and information from the Royal Palace. So do not forget to take your notes here.

Availability of Guides

Guides and other officials of the Royal Palace are available. They have a great deal of information to be shared and all history buffs should make the most of this. 

Best Time to Visit

The Royal Palace is open on all days except public holidays. One can visit the place anytime of the year. December to May are however the months of priority.

How to Reach

Thanjavur is located in the southern part of Tamil Nadu and is well-connected to other cities. For commuting within the state, local buses are available in plenty and it is easy to reach Thanjavur. Thanjavur also has direct buses from Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ernakulam. Trichy junction is the nearest railway station to Thanjavur. You can then reach Royal Palace by taking the buses or a taxi. The nearest airport to Thanjavur is the Trichy International Airport. After landing here, one can make their way to the Thanjavur’s Royal Palace by taxi or bus.

Interesting Facts and Trivia About Thanjavur Royal Palace

• The Maratha Palace Complex comes under the ownership of the Bhonsle family, who once ruled Thanjavur.
• The first section of the Royal Palace is the Royal Palace museum. This museum is a blast from the past and showcases a wide range of items used by the royals of yesteryears. You get to see royal headgears, weapons, beautiful sculptures and much more.
• The museum is followed by the Maharaja Serfoji Memorial Hall, and this commemorates the Maratha king Serfoji, the second.
• The Saraswati Mahal Library Museum is a temple of knowledge and it hosts several manuscripts, printed materials on various subjects, dictionaries, atlases and a whole lot of grand old books.
• The Art Gallery and the Nayak Mahal have wide fame, for their bronze statues and stone carvings.

Nearby Attractions

• Brihadeeswara Temple
• Sukkiran Temple
• Ramaswamy Temple
• Thiruvanajozhi Temple
• Schwartz Church
• Vellai Pulliar Temple
• Sivaganga Garden
• Apatsahayesvarar Temple

Nearby Restaurants

• Hotel Vasantha Bhavan
• Sree Ariya Bhavan
• Karthik Restaurant
• Hotel Thangm Chettinadu
• Hotel Gnanam
• Diamond Restaurant
• Thevar’s Biriyani
• Sathars
• Aaharam
• Nandhis Restaurant

The Royal Palace is the abode of sensational art, rare manuscripts and many other primeval items. Each section of this palace complex brings back the past alive. Every knowledge-seeker, history-lover, art buffs and globetrotter should surely pay a visit to the Royal Palace at least once, only to get enchanted by the golden old ages.