Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal
3.5
Historic SitesArchitectural BuildingsReligious Sites
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PM, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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  • Vaidyanathan B
    Bengaluru, India188 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    No Proper Announcement
    From the internet saw the opening time for Sunday evening was 6. Visited this place on 3rd March 2024 at 6pm and a BIG disappointment awaited us. The Palace was CLOSED and has been CLOSED for some weeks and will remain CLOSED for some more time for some work going on there. But the disappointment is that the authorities have failed to disclose this in the internet and other medium. Saw plenty of people coming and returning disappointed like us. Hope the authorities wake up and keep their information up-to-date for all to see and plan. Photos taken are all from outside only.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 6 March 2024
  • Anna S
    Malaysia859 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Huge - architecturally but rather something simple that you can skip when visiting Madurai.
    This is only a fraction of a building complex built in the 17th century, which was once dismantled and then - partially - rebuilt. It is considered one of the city's attractions, but it is also proof that Madurai has little of architectural significance to offer other than the Menakshi Temple. The object to be viewed here is a massive building with a mix of styles from many components. The fact is: every city tour through Madurai also stops here and lets the participants stroll around for about 20 minutes. Anyone who wants to delve deeper into the subject should do so in the Palace Museum in the adjacent hall.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 17 March 2024
  • Sweetra
    United States290 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth a Visit
    This palace is very close to Meenakshi so it makes sense to visit when visiting the area. You can see the remains of the part that was damaged from the street across from the temple. There is a lot of construction going on inside the palace with a lot of tools and dirt around. But the courtyard is beautiful. The architecture is very pretty and the colors still remain. The columns and arches are magnificent and the ceiling carvings and coloring are beautiful. I could not help but take pictures of the columns from every angle.
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 25 April 2024
  • bex76
    Stockport, United Kingdom129 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very impressive
    A stunning building, well worth a visit to wander around. We were very impressed and are really glad we saw this palace as it was a definite highlight of Madurai. There is 1 small board describing some of the history. Entrance fee for non - Indian visitors is 50 rupees.
    Visited December 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 29 December 2024
  • MumbaiRiders
    Mumbai, India2,025 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Thirumalai Nayaakar Palace
    Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal was completed in 1636 by Tirumala Nayaka, a king of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, who ruled Madurai from 1623 to 1659. It is located 2 km to the southeast of the Meenakshi Amman Temple in central Madurai. The present structure is the main palace which served as the living quarters of the king, and the original palace complex was four times larger.Entrance to the palace is Rs 10 and in the evening they have a " Sound and Light" show in English as well as Tamil language.
    Visited January 2025
    Travelled solo
    Written 27 January 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles956 reviews
Excellent
235
Very good
339
Average
268
Poor
83
Terrible
31

niluanu
Chennai (Madras), India671 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
A historic palace in the heart of Madurai, this place is a protected monument and one of the prime tourist attractions of the city. Open from 9am till 5pm with a half hour lunch break, the palace was built in the 17th century as a residence of the King Thirumalai Nayak. The massive pillars and the Indo Saracenic architecture are notable features of the palace. Maintenance is poor and renovation of certain sections was in progress at the time of our visit. There is a light and sound show in the evening. There are no fans, which makes it quite uncomfortable in warm weather. Mosquitoes are also a menace and it is difficult to sit through the full show. A few pedestal fans would definitely solve the problem. Worth a visit in any case
Written 11 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicole S
Boston, MA98 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Couples
We hired Mr Rajesh (+919994849453) to take us to the Meenakshi temple earlier in the day and this palace was included in his tour. It took us about 30 minutes (1/2 hour) to go through, with him explaining things and us taking pictures. There isn't a ton to see, and a lot of work is being done on certain parts. The architecture is pretty and very detailed. Definitely not a must-see in India, but fun to wander around if you're in Madurai.
Written 20 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AZCasualTraveler
Mesa, AZ2,437 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
Thirumalai Nayak Mahal (Palace) was constructed as a residence for the then King Thirumalai Nayak in 1636 AD. It is said that King had recruited an Italian architect for designing this palace. The Palace was built with the intention of creating a masterpiece for the then King to stay is undoubtedly one of the best architectures of ancient times. The interiors of this palace had intricate paintings and sculpting. Paintings on the roof of the palace are worth noticing.

Currently only a few parts of the palace has remained. Most of the parts of this magnificent palace was taken away during various reigns with changing times. The Palace is now under the protection of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department, and this palace was declared as a national monument.
Written 20 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ayush
9 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Family
Can be skipped. Architectural beauty and place of historical significance.
There is nothing to do inside you can just complete walk of entire premise in 10 mins and be done.

10rs per person entry ticket is charged.And the ticket issuing guy will ask you take 30 rs ticket for atleast 1 mobile
No one checks mobile you can just enter directly
Found place to be decently cleaned.
The govt needs to pay more attention to this place
You can skip this place if you don't have much time in Madurai.

You can click some good pictures though
Written 29 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Andrew D
Singapore, Singapore398 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
The palace was undergoing renovation during our visit with some areas closed. The palace itself feels relatively empty though some parts are undeniably beautifully decorated. Inside the palace, there is also a museum but without interpretative panels to help us decipher the significance of the exhibited items.
Written 29 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AntoSavarirajan
Hyderabad, India122 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022 • Family
The place:
Wonderful historic monument.
One of the key landmarks in the city.
Easy to access from centre of city
Very affordable entry fee.
Great photo opportunity in a beautiful backdrop.

Light and sound show:
This in the evening and has a separate entry ticket.
The show is very poor. .. super boring and a mess.
Most people end up walking out half way thru.
Don't waste your evening on this.
Nobody warned us... now you don't have an excuse :)
Written 23 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

somnathDB
Bengaluru, India58 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Couples
Located near to the Meenakshi temple the palace is an example of indo Italian architecture with long pillars. It's good to spend 15 to 30 minutes. Entry ticket of INR 10 per person excluding camera.
Written 26 March 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

NITU N
Kochi (Cochin), India16 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
A remarkable structure built on amix of Dravidan and Islamic style, this Palace was built around mid 16th century. The Palace is under Archaeoligical Department. The sound and light shows conducted every evening at the palace are spectacular, making your trip to this palace even more exciting.
Written 3 November 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

kashgo
San Diego, CA758 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2019
This palace has a lot going for it but unfortunately needs a vivid imagination to figure out what it was like in it's time. The maintenance is poor, with pigeon droppings even on the pillars that make this place special. A few objects displayed in cases are about all there is to see besides of course the interior empty spaces. But, it is well located in the heart of the city and is an easy way to pass some time.
Written 15 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sud D
Oakville, Canada78 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2019 • Couples
This is a remnant of the original palace of the Nayakkar kings of Madurai. Much of the original place has been destroyed. Recently restored - it is a grand structure. Maintenance of the premises can be better. The museum at the back has some very interesting historical artifacts and is a must see for anyone with an interest in the history of the region
Written 26 May 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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THIRUMALAI NAYAKAR MAHAL (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

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