Bolgatty Palace is a former palace built by the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
on
Bolgatty Island in
Kochi
Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...
,
Kerala
Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...
.
History
One of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside Holland, the palace was built in 1744 by Dutch traders and later extended and gardens were landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor's palace for the commander of
Dutch Malabar
Dutch Malabar (Dutch; ''Nederlandse Malabar''. Malayalam; ''ഡച്ച് മലബാർ''.) also known by the name of its main settlement Cochin, was the title of a commandment of the Dutch East India Company on the Malabar Coast between ...
, and in 1909 was leased to the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
. It served as the home of the British governors, being the seat of the
British Resident
A resident minister, or resident for short, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indi ...
of Cochin during the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was him ...
.
In 1947, when India attained
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
, the palace became the property of the state and was converted into a heritage hotel resort.
Facilities
Bolgatty Palace has a swimming pool, 9-hole golf course, ayurvedic centre, and daily Kathakali performances and is a holiday destination for tourists. There is in a temple dedicated to Shiva that is the first of its kind in Kerala.
Gallery
File:Bolgatty Palace.jpg, Bolgatty Palace Illuminated
File:Bolgatty Palace Side View.JPG, Bolgatty Palace Side View
File:Bolgatty Palace Swimming Pool.JPG, Bolgatty Palace Swimming Pool
File:Bolgatty Palace Back Side.JPG, Bolgatty Place Back Side
See also
*
Government Houses of India
A Government House is any residence used by Governors-General, Governors and Lieutenant-Governors in the Commonwealth and the British Empire. Government Houses serve as the venue for Governors’ official business, as well as the many receptions ...
*
Government Houses of the British Empire
References
External links
Official Website
British Empire
Palaces in Kochi
Heritage hotels in India
Hotels in Kochi
Dutch India
Houses completed in 1744
1744 establishments in India
1744 establishments in the Dutch Empire
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