Spread over an area of 2,400 sq. metres, the Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is believed to be over 260 years old. The temple with its gopuram (tower) towering majestically is believed to be among the 108 shrines sacred to the Vaishnav in India. The main entranceof the temple is through the eastern gopuram which towers to over 30 metres and is built in the Dravidian style. Padmanabha (an incarnation of Vishnu) the deity of the temple reclines on a sacred serpent in the inner sanctum. The main sanctum sanctorum inside the temple is well safeguarded with a number of massive doors and one can have the darshan (audience) through one the three-door openings into the sanctum sanctorum.
Dating back to 1880, the Napier Museum building combines the Mughal, Kerala, Chinese and Italian architectural styles. The building has a natural air-conditioning system. The museum offer glimpses of Kerala’s rich cultural heritage. The museum showcases an excellent collection of bronzes historic ornaments, ivory carvings and chariots, and life-size figurines of the Kathakali dancers in full costume.
The Sri Chitra Art Gallery displays paintings from the Rajput, Mughal and Tanjore schools of art. Besides these, the gallery houses some rare collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma, Svetoslav and Nicholas Roerich. An Oriental collection of paintings from China, Japan, Tibet and Bali are a visual treat to the visitor.
The spacious zoological garden at Trivandrum is set amidst the pleasant surroundings of woodlands and lakes. It provides delightful shaded walks for the visitors. The zoo also has wide variety of the animals and birds. The Reptile House has snakes worth seeing. The nearby botanical gardens offer a large number of trees which can be identified by their labels.
The Government Observatory, located on a hill, is opposite to the the Kanakakunnu Palace. It is an interesting place worth a visit. The terrace offers you a fascinating view of the
