KARNATAKA, the 8th Largest State in the Indian Union. Its history dates back to the 3rd Century BC. The succession of able administrators from the Hoysalas, Chalukyas and the mighty Vijayanagara rulers, to the arrival of the Mughals in the 17th century and the British in the 18th Century have contributed to the mix of culture and heritage that is as rich as it is ancient; Is a veritable treasure trove of tourist hill delights with dazzling array of the ancient sculpted temples, modern cities, friendly people, scenic hill ranges, unexplored forests and endless beaches, a land as fragrant as the sandal wood trees grown in abundance here, a place that has all the ingredients for a great holiday, a pleasant hill station climate, an incredible choice of shopping delights including silk, spices and handicrafts, an environment where English, Kannada, Hindi are spoken with equal ease.

Jayalakshmi Vilas Manison Of all the royal buildings, apart from the Mysore Palace of course, Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion is the most beautiful. Built in 1905 by Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar for his oldest daughter, this is one among the five such mansions. Located opposite the Kukkarahalli Kere, it was reportedly built at a cost of INR 7 lakhs. Though the building is now owned by the Mysore University, visitors still have access to the beautiful mansion since it houses the famous Folklore Museum. The most dominating feature of the mansion is the perfect alignment of the three wings of the building. The facade has Corinthian and Ionic columns, pediments, beautiful windows with pilasters and arches and moulded ventilators. Inside, don’t miss the impressive decorations and carvings in plaster and wood. One of the highlights of the mansion is the Kalyana Mantapa (marriage hall), a square hall with 12 pillars that support an eight-petal-shaped dome with glass windows. Other prominent features of the building include a dancing hall with wooden floor accompanied by a viewers’ gallery located on the first floor and a 40-foot high roof with painted glass and ventilators, in addition to elaborately decorated and furnished rooms.
Cheluvamba Manison Apart from Rajendra Vilas, Jayalakshmi Vilas and Karanji Mansion, there are many others that the king initiated and built. For the third princess, Cheluvajammanni, an equally grand structure was constructed in Mysore’s north-western part. Called the Cheluvamba Mansion, this sprawling building is set amidst spacious grounds and terraced gardens with twin towers, recessed domes, grand columns and intricate motifs. It currently houses the country’s premier food research institute, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI). Two other prominent royal buildings are Vasantha Mahal in Nazarbad, originally built as a pleasure palace and known for its iron arches and garden, and Lokaranjan Mahal, a sprawling bungalow built as a school for the children of the royal family. Location: About ten minutes walk from the Mysore city bus stand in the heart of the city Timgings: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Karanji Manison Maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar got the Karanji Mansion built for the second princess, Krishnajammanni. Located in Nazarbad Mohalla, the mansion is Indo-Saracenic in style and closely resembles other royal mansions. Built on a hillock to give it a certain dramatic effect, it was constructed in 1914. It earned the epithet Karanji Mansion owing to its proximity to Karanji Lake. It has beautiful arches, sunshades, sculpted stone balconies that rest on a lotus base, carved stone columns and parapets. In 1965, the mansion’s ownership passed on to the Department of Posts and currently houses the department’s Postal Training Institute. There is also a museum set up by the Postal Department, depicting the postal history of the country, which is accessible to the public.
Chamarajendra Circle There are very few cities in India that can claim to have ornate roundabouts like Mysore. Known locally as traffic circles, several are decorated, either with impressive statues or elaborate lamps. Some of the more important ones include Chamarajendra Circle, built in 1920. It is located in front of the palace’s north gate and is a well-known landmark. It has a marble statue of Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar, a popular and hospitable king who was a keen horseman and a patron of sports and arts. It has a gilded Indo-Saracenic canopy with stairs leading up to the statue from four sides. Krishnaraja Circle, at the intersection of Sayyaji Rao Road, Albert Victor Road and Devaraj Urs Road, has a statue of Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar on an elevated hexagonal base. Hardinge Circle was built to commemorate the visit of the Viceroy, Lord Hardinge, to Mysore in 1913. The circle acts as an axis for six roads and hosts a flowerbed, a decorative lamp and piers decorated with flowers.
Crawford Hall Standing amidst sprawling grounds, Crawford Hall is now better known as the Mysore University Vice Chancellor’s office. The majestic vintage 1947 building has imposing Corinthian columns, intricate mouldings and a large picture of Goddess Saraswati in plaster relief (the goddess of learning), which is an apt setting for an office associated with education. It is flanked at two levels by balustrades and pierced parapets in addition to twin Tuscan columns and Roman arches. The building’s majesty stems partly from the rolling grounds in front and wide approach roads. The building was donated to the university by the Mysore maharaja.
Maharaja’s and Yuvaraja’s Colleges The Regional Museum of Natural History at Mysore, was inaugurated on 20th May 1995. It was undertaken by the Government of India, Ministry of Environment and Forests. The museum is located on the banks of Karanji Lake, with the Chamundi Hills visible in the background. It is now a landmark in the city. The museum exhibits Plants, Animals and Geology of the Southern Region of India. The galleries emphasize the conservation of nature and natural resources while depicting ecological interrelationship among plants and animals. Visually challenged students can feel the exhibits of animals on the premises. The museum provides an extracurricular activity for schools and promotes environmental awareness.
Rangacharlu Memorial Hall (Town Hall) A majestic and imposing edifice built of stone, Town Hall was started by Maharaja Chamarajendra Wadiyar in 1884. It is named after Chettipantam Veeravalli Rangacharlu, the first dewan of the Mysore state (the highest ranking officer after the king). The facade is dominated by four pairs of Corinthian columns and the whole set is topped by pediments with elaborate carved motifs. A distinctive feature of the pediment is the sculpture of Goddess Lakshmi flanked by a pair of elephants. The building also has beautiful arched windows while the sides are adorned with balconies set off by cast-iron parapets. The building stands amidst greenery, flowering bushes and trees. Though it originally housed offices of the city government, it currently serves as venue for public events and performances.
Oriental Research Institute (ORI) The beautiful white facade and red-tile roofed Jubilee Hall built in 1887 houses the Orient Research Institute whose aim is to collect, preserve, compile, edit and publish rare and valuable Sanskrit and Kannada palm leaf and other manuscripts. The building is built in European style but is interspersed with Indian characteristics. It was built to commemorate the jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign. And so it is only apt that such a hallowed building be used for something equally precious. Housed inside are some of the rarest of manuscripts dating back to the 11th century, dealing with a wide variety of subjects such as astronomy, astrology, botany, mathematics and other applied sciences. The 2,300-year-old Arthashastra of Kautilya, a treatise on political and economic thought is also preserved here including over 22000 bundles of manuscripts and over 70000 works.
District Commisonner Offices (DC)   After the imposing palaces, the DC Office is probably the most regal of all heritage buildings. Like all others, the Deputy Commissioner’s Office is set amidst vast grounds. Dedicated to Sir James Gordon, the Mysore Resident, whose statue stands on the grounds, it was formally opened in 1895 and used to house the British representatives. The most imposing feature on the outside is the wide, grand set of steps leading up to the entrance of the building. Both floors have running verandahs all around with arches and Corinthian pilasters. These lead to high-ceilinged inner structures. The building is topped by a central dome which is octagonal in shape and placed on an elaborately designed square drum.
Mysuru Medical College   Kukkarahalli Lake , Amidst Manasa Gangothri campus, situated is a beautiful lake, which is frequently visited by bird watchers, health conscious people and nature lovers. This lake is also visited by varieties of migratory birds during winter and to watch those birds is feast to ones eyes. The lake is very near to the railway station and bus stand.
Gun House.  Mysore is the kind of city where quaint and pretty buildings boast a pedigree going back to the last century. Round the corner from the palace is a bright red structure with white trimming. Called the Gun House, this building goes back more than a century and is a remnant of the city’s colonial past. When built, it was ‘gun-shed, guard and office rooms’. The building is a mix of Tudor turrets and European Baroque elements. The central hall has a sloped roof with dormer windows while the front arched openings have a stonework frame done in white. Rooms flank both ends and have gabled roofs with moulded pediments.
Krishna Rajendra (KR) Hospital On the way to K.R.S. from Mysore City, 3 Kms away from the main road, there are two beautiful small waterfalls, which are the hot spots for students and nature lovers. People visiting Balmuri get an opportunity to visit an ancient Ganesh temple in the vicinity.
Maharanis College Maharani's Science College for Women in Mysore was established in 1917 by the Queen Regent of Mysore, Kempa Nanjammani Vani Vilasa Sannidhana the mother of Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV. Since its inception the college has held an important place in promoting women's education.
Nanjaraj Bahadur Chatra The Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry was built 150 years ago and earlier, it was maintained by the Municipal Administration. At present, it is managed by Sri Nanjaraja Bahadur Chatra Managing Committee that has been constituted under the Muzrai Department. The Choultry was built with an intention to provide affordable accommodation to thousands of tourists who visit city.
Wellington Lodge Compared to some of the other opulent structures in Mysore, Wellington Lodge on Irwin Road is stark and rather plain, but there’s a reason for it. After the defeat of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the British needed their representative in Mysore and thus, this building was completed hurriedly. Its first occupant was Arthur Wellesley. It was the first headquarters of the commissioners in Mysore and a stopgap abode till the more elaborate Government House (just opposite) was built and ready for occupation. This double-storeyed white structure appears to have derived inspiration from the East India Company. It is terraced with rectangular openings with almost no embellishment. The building was used for various government offices and slowly began to fall into disrepair. A few decades ago, it was refurbished and took over by the Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya.
Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) is a visual art school in Mysore, in the state of Karnataka in India. The academy is affiliated to the University of Mysore and offers courses in drawing, painting, sculpture, graphics, applied arts, photography and photo-journalism and art history. CAVA awards degrees in Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA). CAVA was started by the Maharaja of Mysore Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in 1906 as the Chamarajendra Technical Institute. The foundation stone of the building, dedicated to Maharaja Chamarajendra Wodeyar, was laid by George V of the United Kingdom. It was built at a cost of Rs. 2.5 lakhs, and completed in 1913. It is an elaborately composed structure which runs along the road. It has a rectangular facade, which is composed of pedimented dormers and gables. The institute is close to the city's railway station, on Sayyaji Rao road, a busy road with several commercial establishments. In 1981 the Karnataka state government renamed the Chamarajendra Technical Institute as CAVA.
Chamundi Guest House the Chamundi Guest House stands out among other such facilities for its architecture. Located a little away from the road, it gives the majestic utilitarian building its due. The building has continuous verandahs stretching along the structure, a design duplicated both at the front and back side. Completed in 1920, the builders gave it a sturdy look, investing it with designs like square columns reaching the sky and an arcaded central section raised with taller arches and an imposing pediment. The details are duplicated in the rear portion of the building also. The block was earlier referred to as West wing of the Chamundi Guest House since it was attached to Nyaya Nivas, the judicial officers' guest house, which was also a bungalow converted to house the visitors. Now, it has been delinked. Located on a sprawling campus, the Chamundi Guest House's beauty is visible from all four sides. The facility came at a time when the city was getting its infrastructure upgraded to attend to the visitors.
ATI Buildings and Jockey Quarters The buildings of the Administrative Training Institute (ATI) campus, Mounted Police building, DGP office are some of the interesting examples of this style of architecture. All these buildings are wooden sloped roof structures and are interesting in terms of their simple planning. The simple variation of roof heights, the use of dormer windows, interesting floral patterns of eve-board and gable end detailing have made the elevations of these buildings look interesting. .