The historical Palace of Mysore in the city of Mysore in Karnataka, southern India, is one of India’s grandest royal buildings. It was the former seat of the Wodeyars — the Maharajas of Mysore, who ruled the princely state from 1350 to 1950. The three-story stone building of fine gray granite and deep pink marble domes has a facade with several expansive arches supported by tall pillars. The palace houses two huge and opulent ceremonial meeting halls called durbars and as many as eighteen temples inside the building. Its lavishly decorated interior of stained glass, mirrors, carved wooden doors, mosaic floors and the expansive garden surrounding the palace draws more than 6 million visitors annually. The Palace looks particularly breathtaking during weekends when it’s illuminated by nearly 100,000 lights that highlights its majestic profile against the night.

Photo credit: Keith Cuddeback/Flickr