Must see attractions in Mysuru (Mysore)

Top Choice

The second-most-visited sight in India (after the Taj Mahal), this palace is among the very grandest of India’s royal buildings and was the seat of the…

Top Choice

Small in scale but masterly in detail, the astonishingly beautiful Keshava Temple is one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture, on par with the…

Back from the dead, this stunning 12th-century Hoysala temple was submerged when the Kaveri River was dammed in 1930. However, villagers had tantalising…

Dating from Tipu Sultan’s reign, this huge and very lively bazaar has local traders selling traditional items such as flower garlands, incense, spices and…

This 1062m hill is crowned with the Sri Chamundeswari Temple. It’s a fine half-day excursion, offering spectacular views of the city below. Queues are…

On the university campus west of town, this (somewhat neglected) museum specialises in folklore, with artefacts, stone tablets and sculptures, rural…

This unassuming colonial building, known as Wellington Lodge, was the residence of Colonel Arthur Wellesley from 1799 to 1801. He later become the duke of…

This open-air museum’s main exhibit is the Mysuru maharani’s saloon, an 1899 wood-panelled beauty with gilded ceilings and chandeliers that provides an…

Built in 1861 as the royal auditorium, this stunning palace just west of Mysuru Palace houses the Jayachamarajendra Art Gallery. Set over three floors, it…

Life in the devout Hindu town of Melukote (Melkote), about 50km north of Mysuru, revolves around the 12th-century Cheluvanarayana Temple, with its rose…

The beauty of towering St Philomena’s Cathedral, built between 1933 and 1941 in neo-Gothic style, is emphasised by its wonderful stained-glass windows. It…

At the summit of Chamundi Hill, the striking Sri Chamundeswari Temple is dominated by a towering 40m-high gopuram (entrance gateway).

Dating from 1805, Government House, formerly the British Residency, is a Tuscan Doric building set in 20 hectares of gardens.

If you’re familiar with Bollywood, these ornamental gardens might just give you a sense of déjá vu – they’ve been the backdrop to many a shimmying musical…

This well-maintained nature park is the place to spy on various bird species, including herons, rose-ringed parakeets and painted storks, and many…

A well-managed zoo set in pretty gardens. Highlights include white tigers, lowland gorillas, giraffes, African elephants, chimpanzees and rhinos. It’s…

Facing the north gate of Mysuru Palace, this striking clock tower dates from 1927. Constructed in Indo-Saracenic style, it's 24m tall and its clock face…

Entrance gate to Mysuru Palace.