Hill Palace Museum

The Hill Palace is Kerala's biggest archaeological museum, and it is situated in Tripunithura. It was constructed in 1865 and originally served as the Maharaja of Cochin's formal home and Imperial Administrative offices. The enormous palace is situated on a hill, as its name would imply, and it boasts a lovely garden.

The 54-acre Palace complex, which consists of 49 buildings designed in the classical style, was built in 1865. A children's park, a prehistoric park, a deer park, and a historical museum are all part of the complex. The enormous white structures are immaculate, tidy, and well-maintained. For outdoor photography, the terraced lawn, ponds, and fountain are ideal. The palace is renowned for serving as the setting for several motion pictures. The Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu is the most well-known of them all.

The Hill Palace, which the former Maharaja constructed in 1865, is now Kerala's greatest archaeological museum. Prior to Tripunithura, Thrissur served as both the Cochin kingdom's administrative and capital cities. Nonetheless, the Cochin royal family followed a matrilineal tradition. This indicates that the king served as her subject and that the queen was the state's sovereign. Upon their arrival in Tripunithura after 1775, the queen and her advisors transferred the capital there. Subsequently, the monarchs began to like staying in Tripunithura, which prompted the construction of a new royal office in 1865. Courthouses, secretariat offices, and other governmental and residential structures were gradually built.

The majestic Hill Palace was eventually given to the Keralan government by the royal family in 1980, and the Department of Archaeology took management of it. In 1986, the palace underwent conversion to become a museum, and it was then first made available for public inspection.

The Palace-turned-Museum has lately undergone several alterations and renovations. The palace complex has a two-meter wide walkway built around it. On ornate cast iron pillars, beautiful lamps illuminate the promenade. Moreover, 200 new lampposts have been placed to the area to provide lighting at night and in the morning. In addition, the already magnificent door has had integrated wood carvings restored, rebuilt, and ornamented.

It was constructed using Keralan traditional architecture. Oil paintings, murals, stone sculptures, manuscripts, inscriptions, coins, possessions of the Kochi royal family, and royal furniture, including the simhasana, are on show at the full-fledged Ethno-archaeological museum (throne).

• Many priceless items, some of which date back to the 14th century, are on show at the Wood Carving Gallery. Anybody interested in history and antiquities will be drawn to the gallery, which has inscriptions of numerous monarchs, megalithic artefacts, crowns, jewellery, etc.
• The crown that the former Kochi dynasty monarchs wore is on display in the cabinet hall. It is a lovely item that weighs 1.75 kg and is set with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds.
• The portraits of the Kochi kings are on exhibit in a portrait gallery that has been built up at the museum.
• The splendour and intricacy of the regal reign have been expertly depicted in the artworks. There are also several Tanjore paintings on show, and because of the clever use of colour in those paintings, they may be conserved and seen for many centuries.
• You may utilise more than 150 items from The Porcelain Gallery in traditional Kerala homes or in royal or aristocratic mansions. They include plates, mugs, and other elegantly displayed antique porcelain goods like Chinese dishes and utensils.

• Discover the Flora and Fauna : The palace complex is home to a wide range of Flora, including a number of therapeutic plants.
• Children's Park and Deer Park : The deer park is home to about 50 deer. The animals here may be interacted with and fed. There are riding facilities at the children's park, which is a lovely location for shooting.
• Artifact shopping : You may browse the local marketplaces to find artefacts and purchase regional products.

As a result of the tropical setting, summers may be rather hot. So, the best time to visit the Hill Palace is from October to March when it's cold outside. This time, the pleasant weather will make sightseeing more enjoyable.

To have enough time to see all the sights, it is advisable to visit the palace during the day.

Hill Palace is open daily from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Monday close).

Entry charge Youngsters (5-12 years old): INR 10, Adults: INR 30, 20 INR for a camera, 150 INR for a video camera.

• Café Street : Visit this eatery if the rain caught you off guard when you were strolling around St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church. In order to make life easier for its clients, Café Street offers meal delivery. Several guests note that you may sample delicious chicken, mandi, and shawarma here. Your dinner will taste better thanks to the excellent coffee, which will also make you want to come again. All year long, the knowledgeable team welcomes you to our location. Visitors enjoy the cool service provided here. People are happier and come in greater numbers because to the welcoming environment.
• Rajdhani : The menu is structured properly and the Indian meals are pretty good, according to reviews from customers.
• Chillies Restaurant : Get expertly prepared pepper chicken, fried chicken, or roasted chicken when you stop by this eatery for a break. Trying decent payasam is the best thing you can do. At Chillies, the friendly staff welcomes guests with a high degree of hospitality. These restaurateurs place a high value on providing exceptional service. Here, you may find delectable dishes for reasonable costs. Many individuals find this location's aesthetic to be appealing, and the environment is pleasant.
• NM Food World Restaurant : The reviews from visitors indicate that the Indian food served here is good. It makes sense to order well prepared fish curry, biryani, and chilli chicken. The greatest beverages at NM Food World are cups of good coffee. The dedication, positivity, and kindness of the staff make this facility exceptional. People often mention quick service in their evaluations. You will be pleasantly surprised by the average pricing here. As visitors discover, the ambiance is excellent.

• The Classik Fort Hotel : Its kind with all the comforts and luxuries for the ideal traveller. This hotel's great location in Cochin—Truly Classik Fort—is its biggest selling point.
• Bharat Hotel : The Bharat Hotel is well situated on Durbar Hall Road in Cochin, adjacent to the best business, retail, and entertainment districts, as well as banks, a post office, and a tourist information centre, making it a paradise for tourists as well as business visitors. The hotel also provides beautiful views of the Ernakulam Shiva Temple, Rajendra Maidan, Cochin Harbour, placid Vembanad Lake, and tranquil Vembanad Lake.
• Olive Eva : Olive Eva, a four-star hotel with 44 tastefully decorated rooms and suites that combine modern elegance with services, an exciting lobby, and custom design, is a popular destination for both business and leisure tourists. The lobby area has long been regarded as the ideal location to enjoy a small supper and the friendly atmosphere.
• Aquaria The Boutique Resort : A welcoming seaside resort with a waterfront restaurant that specialises in seafood. Visitors can request local fishing excursions, sightseeing excursions, houseboat stays, stays at mountain resorts, Ayurveda treatments, etc. a well-traveled woman who owns and runs the business gives solo female travellers particular attention.