THANJAVUR MARATHA PALACE (ROYAL PALACE)

Thanjavur Palace, or Maratha Palace, was originally built by the Nayaks. After the fall of the Nayak kingdom, it served as the official residence of the Marathas of the Bhonsle dynasty. When most of the Maratha kingdom was annexed by the British Empire in 1799, the Marathas retained the palace and surrounding fort. It is still the official residence of the Bhonsle family.

The palace complex houses an art gallery and several museums. The entrance ticket allows you to walk around the complex and visit the museums. A number of renovations have been carried out in recent years, but the whole complex still lacks maintenance.

The most interesting art gallery in the complex is the Bronze Museum, featuring bronze sculptures from the Chola era. It's a must-see, as this traditional skill, which continues to this day, is one of Thanjavur's specialties. Don't miss the sublime sculptures of Shiva and Parvati! The detail and finesse of the workmanship, particularly in their clothing and hair, is absolutely stunning. This section also provides access to the upper floor, where you'll find an impressive whale skeleton. The small Maharaja Serfoji's Museum houses a collection of objects dating mainly from the early ^19th century, including musical instruments, portraits of Maratha maharajas, and objects made of wood, ivory or various metals. The Sarawathi Mahal Library is the palace library. Lovers of ancient manuscripts and books will not want to miss this museum, renowned for its collection of manuscripts on paper and palm leaves in several Indian and European languages. Maharaja Serfouir II was an erudite king, who had numerous Sanskrit manuscripts copied. Also on display are " physionomy pictures " by the Frenchman Charles Le Brun, which are images of animals transformed into images of men. They are surprisingly detailed and precise. The Durbar Hall is a magnificent room, very high up, with painted pillars and ceilings and finely worked stucco. It was used by Nayak kings for audiences and coronations. The Bell Tower, with its narrow spiral staircase, offers a fine view of the city. In the palace garden stands the Schwartz Church, built by Raja Serfoji with the approval of Reverend Schwartz of the Danish Mission.