Dutch Palace, Cochin

The Mattancherry Palace, popularly known as the Dutch Palace is a palace located in Mattancherry, Kochi in Kerala. This palace includes Kerala mural paintings representing paintings and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi. The palace was included in the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Though it is called the Dutch Palace, it was actually built by the Portugese as a gift to the kingdom of Cochin.

The palace has a square shape and is built in the traditional Kerala style called Nalukettu with an open courtyard at the center. Some parts of the architecture, like the arches & room sizes, show a European influence mixed with the local style. There are a large number of murals on the walls of the palace in the style of Hindu temple art. These paintings are religious, decorative and stylized, using warm, rich colors and painted using the tempera technique.

History

The Portugese built and gifted the palace to the king of Cochin or Kochi around 1545 as an apology for damaging a nearby temple. In 1498, Vasco da Gama had landed at Kappad and was warmly welcomed by the Kochi rulers. The Portugese were allowed to build trade centers and helped the Cochin kingdom defend itself against the Zamorins, eventually gaining strong control over the region.

Later, the Dutch defeated the Portugese and took over Mattancherry in 1663. After that, the area came under the rule of Hyder Ali, and eventually, it was taken over by the British East India Company.

How To Reach

Mattancherry Bus terminus is the nearest stop to the palace at a distance of 600m and can be reached easily by walk from the bus stand.