Puthenmalika (Kuthiramalika) Palace Museum

A secret, private passage is believed to connect Padmanabhaswamy Temple with this Travancore-style palace, built in the early 18th century by the social reformer Maharajah Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma, a poet and distinguished musician. Known as the Horse Palace because of the 122 carved horse brackets that buttress the exterior walls, the buildings include elaborate carvings, among them two extravagant thrones -- one made from 25 elephant tusks, another made entirely from Bohemian crystal. Visitors are also allowed into the maharaja's music room, from where you get the same view of the temple that was apparently a source of inspiration to the erstwhile ruler. Despite the value of much of the collection, the buildings are in need of renovation; the beauty of the carved teakwood ceilings and collected objets d'art are sometimes masked by insufficient lighting and neglectful curatorship. You'll be taken around by an "official" guide -- obviously he'll require a small tip.

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