8 Best Tourist Places to Visit in Mysore

Mysore, erstwhile capital of the Mysore Maharajas, is the 2nd biggest city in Karnataka and also the cultural capital of Karnataka. Mysore is one of the top places to experience Karnataka Tourism and also one of the famous tourist places to visit in India. Mysore has several tourist attractions including palaces, museums, temples, gardens, etc. Chamundi Hill Temple, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Jagan Mohan Palace, St. Philomena’s Cathedral, Mysore Zoo and Brindavan Gardensare the most famous Tourist places to visit in Mysore. Mysore is also famous for Dussera celebrations.

Mysore Palace

Mysore Palace, the official residence of the former royal family of Mysore, is the top tourist attraction of Mysore and amongst the largest royal palaces in India. Mysore Palace is one of the popular heritage palaces in India and also one of the best places to experience Mysore Tourism. Also known as the Amba Vilas Palace, Mysore Palace is a culmination of Dravidian, European and Roman architectural styles. It is a treasure house of attractive carvings and works of art from all over the world. The palace is illuminated with more than 97,000 lights in night during Sundays, holidays and Dussera.This is the venue for famous Mysore Dussera.

Jagan Mohan Palace

Jagan Mohan Palace is a magnificent palace built in 1861AD. It was initially used by the Wodeyars kings as their home when the present majestic Mysore Palace was under construction after the old palace was burnt down in a fire accident. Jagan Mohan Palace is one of the seven palaces of the royal city of Mysore and also one of the top places to visit in Mysore. It is considered as one of the best art galleries in South India. The art gallery contains paintings exceeding 2000 in number belongs to different Indian styles of painting like Mysore, Mughal and Shantiniketan.

St. Philomena’s Church

St. Philomena’s Church is one of the famous and beautiful churches located in Mysore. Known as St. Joseph's Cathedral, it is one of the oldest and second largest churches in Asia. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar III laid the foundation for St. Philomena's Church in 1933 and was completed in 1941. There are two towers or spires that are about 54 meters tall, which resemble the spires of St. Patrick's Church of New York. The main hall can seat up to 800 people and contains stained glass windows depicting scenes from the birth of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Christ.An Annual festival is held every year on August 11th.

Mysore Zoo

Mysore Zoo is famed to be one of the oldest and the largest Zoo parks in South India and also one of the popular places to visit in Mysore. The zoo was built by Sri Chamarajendra Wodeyar in 1892. It is also one of the top visited places as part of Mysore tours. The sightseeing starts with birds followed by Tiger, Cheetah, Gorilla, Rhino, Zebra, Bear, Deer, Elephant, Jaguar, Lion, Ghoral, Reptiles, Hippo, Ostrich and ends with Giraffe.

Chamundi Hill Temple

The Chamundi Temple is a famous Hindu temple located on the top of Chamundi Hill in Mysore. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Chamundeswari, an incarnation of Goddess Parvathi who took this form to destroy Mahishasura. Chamundeshwari Temple is one among the 18 Maha Shakti Peethas. The idol of goddess Chamundi inside the central sanctum was made with pure gold. The temple is a fine example of Dravidian temple architecture and it possesses a lot of Nandi images. There is also a colorful image of the Mahishasura situated on the summit of the Chamundi Hill.

Brindavan Gardens

Brindavan Gardens is a famous & beautiful garden laid out below the Krishnaraja Sagar Dam in Mysore. The beautifully landscaped garden was completed in 1932 and is one of the places to visit in Mysore. Brindavan Garden is laid out in three terraces, and ends in a horseshoe shape. It is enriched with fountains, terraces, parterres, running and cascading water channels, lush green lawns & flower beds. The Musical and dancing fountain is the main attraction of the garden. Boating is also available inside the garden.

Regional Museum of Natural History

Regional Museum of Natural History is one of the famous and the magnificent place to visit in Mysore. Built in 1995, the museum was established to spread awareness about environment and its conservation. The museum was undertaken by the government of India, ministry of environment and forests. The museum exhibits plants, animals and geology of the southern region of India along with theme-based participatory and interactive exhibits can be found at this museum. They also arrange film shows on topics related to natural history.

Karanji Lake

Karanji Lake is a picturesque lake located at the footsteps of Chamundi Hills and behind Mysore Zoo. Spread over an area of 90 acres, it is regarded as one of the biggest lakes in Karnataka and also one of the best tourist places in Mysore. The lake attracts painted storks, pelicans and darters and a host of other winged beauties. The aviary constructed on the shore of the lake has a height of 20 m, length of 60 m and width of 40 m making it India's biggest walk-through aviary. This is also one of the best place to visit apart from Mysore tour packages. It is considered a bird paradise that attracts many ornithologists and other nature enthusiasts.