The Mysore Palace is an illustrious landmark that beckons the visitors ecause of it's splendour and elegance. After the original palace got burnt down, this new palace was designed by the British architect Henry Irwin in 1897 . The palace is now converted into a museum that treasures souvenirs, paintings, jewellery, royal costumes and other items, which were once possessed by the Wodeyars. It's a kaleidoscope of stained glass & mirrors. The tastefully decorated and intricately carved doors open into luxuriously decorated rooms.

The ground floor with an enclosed courtyard displays costumes, musical instruments, children's toys and numerous portraits. The upper floor has a small collection of weapons. The beautifully carved mahogany ceilings, solid silver doors, white marble floors and superb columned Durbar Hall are a feast to the eyes. The palace is a treasure-house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world. Intricately carved doors open into stunningly luxurious rooms.

The front of the palace has an open balcony supported by massive circular columns. The Royal portrait gallery, which is of historical importance, is a visual treat to the visitors. This three storeyed structure has beautifully designed square towers at various cardinal points covered by domes. Craftsmen from Jaipur and Agra along with local workers were engaged in crafting them. The marriage pavilion or the Kalyana Mantapa with a centre octagonal gabled roof, covered by stained glasses, is to the south of the building. The flooring of this magnificent Kalyana Mantapa has artistic geometrical patterns created by using glittering glazed tiles imported from England. The building has gorgeous chandeliers of Czechoslovakian make.

The royal throne with captivating artwork on its gold plates is displayed during the Dasara festival. The Maharajas of Mysore used to sit on the golden throne and hold durbars in the Palace Durbar Hall. The paintings of eight manifestations of Goddess Shakthi (strength) and an original painting of the renowned painter Raja Ravi Verma are also on display. On the same floor to the south is the Ambavilas, Diwan-e-Khas that has beautiful doors at the entrance with inlay work. It even has a selection of Hindu temples within the palace walls .The palace is spectacularly illuminated by 96,000 odd bulbs on all Sunday evenings, and during the festive season of Dasara.

Major attractions of the palace are:

Diwan e Khas

This was used by the king for private audience and is one of the most spectacular rooms. Entry to this opulent hall is through an elegantly carved rosewood doorway inlaid with ivory that opens into a shrine to Ganesha. The central knave of the hall has ornately gilded columns, stained glass ceilings, decorative steel grills, and chandeliers with fine floral motifs, mirrored in the pietra dura mosaic floor embellished with semi-precious stones. 

Gombe Thotti (Doll's Pavilion)

Entry to the palace is through the Gombe Thotti or the Doll's Pavilion, a gallery of traditional dolls from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The pavilion also houses a fine collection of Indian and European sculpture and ceremonial objects like a wooden elephant howdah (frame to carry passengers) decorated with 84 kilograms of gold.

Kalyana Mantapa

The Kalyana Mantapa or marriage hall is a grand octagonal-shaped pavilion with a multihued stained glass ceiling with peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns. The entire structure was wrought in Glasgow, Scotland. The floor of the Mantapa continues the peacock theme with a peacock mosaic, designed with tiles from England.Oil paintings, illustrating the royal procession and Dasara celebrations of bygone years ,make the walls more splendid.

Other important palace/mansions in mysore:

Rajendra Vilas

The Rajendra Vilas Palace is located on top of the Chamundi Hills, 1,000 feet above Mysore. Once the summer palace of the Wodeyars of Mysore.

Jaganmohana Palace

Jaganmohana Palace is a former palace of the Maharaja of Mysore that has now been converted into an art gallery. The gallery is home to some of the best known works of the Indian Master Raja Ravi Varma. Also on display are several black and white photographs illustrating royal functions and giving a glimpse of life as it existed over a hundred years ago.

This palace also has a large auditorium that is the venue for cultural events including musical concerts given by famous musicians.

Jayalakshmi Vilas

Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is a building 5km west of Mysore city, Karnataka. Built as a palace for the royal family in 1904 at a cost of Rs. 7 lakhs. It was constructed by Sri Chamaraja Wodeyar for his daughter Jayalakshammanni. The Jayalakshmi Vilas is now a museum dedicated to folk culture. The mansion was acquired by the University of Mysore to establish a postgraduate centre on the Manasagangotri campus. Long-neglected, the building was restored with funds from the Infosys Foundation. Today a new gallery is being added for artefacts and collections of the Wodeyars of Mysore

Lalitha Mahal

The second largest palace in Mysore whose foundation stones were laid on November 18 1921 by the then Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV. It is located in near the Chamundi Hills, east of Mysore. The palace owes its eye-catching white color to the Italian granite used in its construction. Post Indian Independence it was converted into a five star hotel.

Chittaranjan Palace (now the Green Hotel, was also the Premier Studios),

Cheluvamba Mansion (now in the CFTRI premises),

Karanji Mansion (now the Postal Training Institute),

Lokaranjan Mahal (next to the Mysore Zoo),

Crawford Hall ( University Administrative Building).