The Kanakakunnu palace history dates back to 1885 when this majestic beauty was built under the reign of Sri Moolam Thirunal, the then Maharajah of Travancore. The palace was built by the royal family to entertain their guests and serve non-vegetarian food, as the royal family was vegetarian. Later, the palace was renovated by Swati Thirunal to construct a tennis court on its premises. The palace has been listed by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage as a heritage monument. Over some time, the palace has indeed become a meeting point for the locals who can be seen relaxing and unwinding in its lush green environment.

The palace is an architectural marvel reminding us of the city’s skilled artisans of the past. This red-bricked structure is made of white stones and is surrounded by lush green lawns blossoming with flora variations throughout the year. The Kanakakunnu Palace architecture is a Travancore heritage with a perfect blend of the Kerela-Gothic styles of Victorian-era architecture. The palace building has a contrasting round hall along with a dignified neo-classical entrance portico.

Apart from soaking in the history of the palace by walking through its architectural splendid corridors, the visitors can spend their time exploring a few other things within the premises - 

• Relax in the lush green lawns - The palace is surrounded by well-manicured lawns, and one can sit and unwind while soaking in the beauty of this architectural marvel.
• Attend the All India Dance Festival - Organized by the Department of Tourism, this festival takes place between October and March in the  Nisagandhi open-air auditorium of the Palace. Visitors can witness several Indian dance artists gracing the stage with a spectacular performance.
• Attend the cultural events - The palace has a well-maintained ground that is now being used to host several cultural events. Visitors can spend their time attending these events and understanding the local culture even better. We advise the tourists to keep a check on the Kerala tourism website to know about the several upcoming events at the palace.

• Visitors must visit the nearby zoo, museum, and Chitra art gallery, on their visit to the palace.
• For visitors wanting to attend the cultural events, they must check the Kerala tourism website for updates and timings.
• The palace is open to visitors from Tuesdays to Sundays, as Monday is a weekly holiday.
• The palace has no entry fee and is free to explore.
• Visitors must check out the botanical garden surrounding the palace. The plants in the garden have a QR Code, that can be scanned to get details like botanical character, species, nativity, distribution, and much more.

Although the city is a year-round destination, if you want to avoid the hot sun and humid climate, the best time to visit is between October to March. During this period, the humidity is at the mean level, and it is pleasant and cool. More so, the All India Dance Festival is likely to take place in the Palace’s open-air auditorium, around this time.

• Kovalam Beach, 
• Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, 
• East Fort, 
• Napier Museum, 
• Kuthira Malika and 
• Trivandrum Zoo.

• The palace has been used as a place of entertainment for the guests of the Travancore Royal Family. The guests were served non-vegetarian food here, as the royal family then was pure vegetarians.
• The visitors can get a glimpse of the royal furniture and massive crystal chandeliers inside the palace that exudes the luxurious lifestyle of a royal family.
• The palace’s botanical gardens are the first digital garden in India, where any plants in the garden can be scanned using a QR code scanner to get the details like botanical characters, species, nativity, etc.