Palace · Portuguese-built c. 1555, Dutch-renovated
MATTANCHERRY PALACEThe Dutch Palace & Its Murals
The Brief
Mattancherry Palace, also called the Dutch Palace, is a 16th-century palace in Kochi, Kerala, India, built around 1555 by the Portuguese as a gift to the Raja of Kochi and later renovated by the Dutch. It is renowned for some of the finest and best-preserved Hindu mural cycles in India, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Puranas, alongside royal portraits and palanquins. It sits in the Jew Town quarter near the Paradesi Synagogue. MyTripMyTravel includes it on the escorted Fort Kochi heritage day.
Mattancherry Palace is modest outside and extraordinary inside. The exterior is a plain Kerala-style structure; the interior holds one of the greatest surviving mural traditions in India.
The bedchamber and adjoining rooms carry dense Ramayana and Puranic cycles in the distinctive Kerala palette, plus Kochi royal portraits and regalia. It anchors the Jew Town quarter alongside the Paradesi Synagogue and the antique-and-spice lanes.
MyTripMyTravel sequences it into the Fort Kochi heritage day with an expert guide, since the murals are unreadable without one.
Quick Facts
Mattancherry Palace at a glance
What to See
THE HIGHLIGHTSThe mural cycles
Among India's finest Hindu murals — Ramayana and Puranic scenes.
Royal portrait gallery
Portraits and regalia of the Kochi royal line.
Palanquins & arms
Ceremonial conveyances and weaponry of the court.
Jew Town setting
The historic synagogue-and-antiques quarter around it.
Visitor Protocol
How We Run It
Plan around the Friday closure — our planners handle it.
Use a guide; the mural iconography is invisible otherwise.
Combine with the synagogue and antique lanes in one loop.
Intelligence
MATTANCHERRY PALACE FAQWhy is Mattancherry Palace called the Dutch Palace?
The Portuguese built it around 1555; the Dutch later renovated it, and the latter name stuck.
What is it famous for?
Some of the finest, best-preserved Hindu mural cycles in India, depicting the Ramayana and Puranas.
Is it closed any day?
Yes — Fridays. Our itineraries are built around this.
Can I photograph the murals?
No — interior photography is prohibited to protect the murals.