Mattancherry Palace or Dutch Palace was built by the Portuguese and gifted to Raja Veera Kerala Varma of Kochi. Constructed in the year 1557, the palace depicts the traditional Kerala art and architecture. The palace got the name Dutch Palace after the renovation works done by the Dutch in 1662. You can see here a double storey building in the form of a traditional ?Nalukettu? style with a central courtyard. In the courtyard, you can sight a temple of ?Pazhayannur Bhagavathi? and on either side of the palace, there are two temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Enter the palace and travel back to time. You can see here numerous mural paintings showcasing various incidents related to Hindu epics and Puranas. Also go through the portraits of Maharajahs, who ruled Kochi along with their ceremonial dresses, coins, weapons etc.
The palace will be opened on all days except Fridays with a nominal entrance fee. Mattancherry Palace is placed around 10 km away from the Ernakulam town and railway station. You can make use of private and public transport available to reach there. The Cochin International Airport is located around 42 km away from the palace.