Owned by the Mysore royal family, the Wadiyars, Bangalore Palace was particularly used the Maharaja in the late 1800s and early 1900 as a getaway from the bigger and fancier Mysore palace. 

The audio guide includes stories from family members who have fond memories of intimate summers at the palace.
If you’re in Bangalore, its worth a visit, if only to admire the turrents and towers from the outside and the fading grandeur from the inside.

Downstairs, the medieval looking ballroom is decorated with the Maharaja’s coat of arms as well as other ornate details.

Elsewhere in the palace, there are some clear signs of the royal family’s hunting past. From the collection of hunting photos to the mounted elephant head on the wall … 

… to the elephant feet stools … (elephant’s feet really are quite big!)

… to the elephant trunk vase … I really can’t imagine this vase full of flowers!

As for some of the other furnishings in the palace, the garish lamps really drew our attention.

I think the red one may have been my favourite.

The intricate details and colours of both the male and female courtyards were also worth admiring.

One of the more intriguing and unexplained collections at the palace was all the nude portraits on the walls in one area of the building. 

But even more inexplicably (!), we didn’t take any photos of the nudes… so you’ll just have to go and see them for yourself!

The palace costs 450 rupees (£4.50/$6) for foreigners, including the audioguide. As ever in India, it is extra to take photos.

Related posts:
Highlights of Bangalore
At the temple in Bangalore