Located in the heart of the city at Mirza Road, the Mysore Palace or the Maharajah's Palace is the most attractive monument in Mysore. One of the largest palaces in the country, also known as Amba Vilas, was the residence of the Wodeyar Maharajahs of the Mysore state. The original palace built of wood, got burnt down in 1897, and was rebuilt for the twenty fourth Wodeyar Raja in 1912.

Designed in Indo-Saracenic style by the well-known British architect, Henry Irwin, the palace is a treasure house of exquisite carvings and works of art from all over the world.

The three storeyed building, 245 feet in length and 156 in breadth has a series of square towers with arches covered by domes. There is wide-open space in the front and a gold-plated dome about 145 feet from the ground covers the open courtyard in the center.

The entry to the palace is through the 'Gombe Thotti' or the Doll's Pavilion, a gallery of Indian and European sculpture and ceremonial objects. Halfway along is the elephant gate, which is the main entrance to the center of the palace. The gate is decorated with floriated designs, and bears the Mysore royal symbol of a double-headed eagle. Inside there is an enclosed courtyard. To the north of the gate are dolls, dating from the earlier nineteenth and twentieth centuries and a ceremonial wooden elephant howdah decorated with 84 kilogram of 24 carat gold and other souvenirs.

To the south of the palace, is the 'Kalyana Mantapa'or the marriage pavilion. It has a center octagonal gabled ceiling, covered by multi colored stained glass with Peacock motifs arranged in geometrical patterns and beautiful chandeliers from Czechoslovakia.

On the second floor, the 'Diwan-I-Am' Durbar Hall 155ft long, and 42ft broad, has an ornate ceiling, shining floor and many sculpture pillars, which are said to have been painted with gold. On the same floor to the south is the smaller 'Ambavilas' or Diwan-e-Khas, which has beautifully carved doors at the entrance with inlay work.