Mysore Palace (Amba Vilas Palace)

Set in the centre of sprawling grounds, Amba Vilas Palace overwhelms at first sight. It was built nearly a century ago and designed by British architect Henry Irwin, who was the Madras state consultant. It stands on the same grounds of the old wooden palace which was burned down by fire. The building is a dramatic three-storied stone edifice built of fine gray granite. It has deep pink marble domes dominated by a five-storied 145 ft tower with a gilded dome topped by a single golden flag. It is built in the classic Indo-Saracenic style with its façade flaunting onion domes, turrets, minarets, cupolas, canopies with arches, intricate balconies, porches and colonnades. On Sundays and public holidays, the exterior of the palace is lighted up with some 97,000 light bulbs, which present an ethereal picture. The interiors are equally lavish—the ceilings are of carved mahogany, while beautiful stained glass windows and glazed tiled floors make for an opulent harmony. The palace also houses a huge collection of art and sculpture from all over the world.