Cochin of Kerala is known as the Queen of Arabian Sea and the name implies that the importance of Cochin that got from centuries ago to the world sea trading route. So the old history of Kerala has number of red marked events about Cochin and its ports. Western powers came to this land to make a colony here and Kochi was their main capital location to control trading through Arabian Sea and in Kerala. The first colonial power visited Kochi was Dutch and they established their power very strongly still the coming of British. So there are number of ancient monuments that balance the remembrance of Golden Dutch time here.
Mattancherry Palace of Cochin is one of the monuments that partly go to Dutch and it made at the time of they captured Cochin City of Kerala during the pre-British time. The palace has a unique charm and austere appearance and is displaying the proud of Dutch and Portuguese at that time. After the Portuguese victory on Dutch, Portuguese had initially built the Mattanchery Palace in 1557 and then gifted to Cochin Ruler Veera Kerala Varma. This went to compensation instead of the destroyed temple there. Then in 1663, Dutch caught back the palace from Portuguese and they revamped Mattancherry Palace.
Dutch palace is fairly unornamented and stark white walls, sloping roofs and trees around it are giving a unique view to this building. The building is two storied and quadrangular shaped and a small temple in the central courtyard. The central hall on the upper storey was once used as venue for coronating Cochin's Raja and has an intrinsically carved wooden ceiling. The main attraction in this palace is the splendid murals that displaying the moments from old Hindu Mythologies. These mural paintings are considering as one of the best in India. This is also a small museum of royal memorabilia that consist of attires, turbans and weapons, from the days of the rajas of Kochi.
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