Information on Bolgatty Palace (Ernakulam, Kerala) - History & Architecture

Bolgatty Palace is located at Mulavukadu Island, Kochi, Kerala State in India. It is the Dutch Palace built in (1744 AD) in Mulavukadu Island on the backwaters of Vembanadu Lake. It is a single Island with unique palace and gardens worth visiting. It is an Inter National tourist destination in Cochin. This palace is now a heritage hotel which caters back water boat house tourism in Cochin. To locate here, one can reach by rail, roads, flights and sea. Cochin or 'Ernakulum' is the central district of Kerala, which is in south India. By train one has to get down at Fort Cochin, Ernakulum North or South railway Station to reach here. The nearest city junction to reach here are, from Coimbatore 113 Miles, Trivandrum is 132 Miles, Mangalore is 256 Miles and Bangalore is 335 Miles.

Bolgatty Palace Architecture

Bolgatty Palace is built on the European model. The building material used were the most commonly found sea rocks, clay tiles, teak woods, clay bricks and mount bricks. This is mostly built like a mansion to occupy the colonial officials. There are many living rooms, a swimming pool, and golf court. There are many boat platforms built around its shore to reach here from all direction of this Island. This palace is totally built in luxury and comforts articles brought from European countries. There are splendid works on woods in and all around the palace which are very beautifully carved. Introduction of colored glass were fixed on windows and doors of this palace. Its roofs are mostly placed with clay tiles. There are one to two storied floors built here. It has pillared and verandahs and many pavilions were built on the shore surroundings.

Bolgatty Palace History

Bolgatty Palace is the largest palace built by the Dutch's outside of Holland. This palace is still a tourist landmark in Cochin. In the year 1740 AD the Ernakulum ruler gave permission to build this mansion for trade purpose. The colonial wars of Imperialism saw the Portuguese, French's and the British occupied this palace as their residence and office. Many of the colonial governors stayed here on their visit to India. This was also used as guest house for East India Companies official for a longer period of time. Till Independence it was under Company's hands. Later this palace was taken by the Kerala State archeological department and declares it as a heritage site. Today Bolgatty Palace is developed into a heritage hotel resort, which has now ayurveda centres, 9 holes golf course and sprawling swimming pool. Historical importance of Bolgatty Palace is widely known and so is the reason why it is considered to be an important landmark of Cochin in Kerala.

Bolgatty Palace Tourism Importance

Bolgatty Palace is a heritage palace hotel in the Bolgatty Island. This is a great place for tourist to view the panorama of the Island and its scenic beauty of Sun set in the Arabian Sea. It is also a place to see the colonial history and their antiquities left over here. It conducts many social and cultural functions related to Kerala here which are amazing to see. This is the first Island from the Cochin mainland and peoples star their house boat tour of 150 Km from here to the last point of the backwater that meets the Arabian Sea at Azhapulla District of Kerala.