Architecture and Heritage Resources of Mysore City

Mysore city is known as the ‘city of palaces’. It is an ancient, historical, cultural capital and a heritage city in India. The city has been recognised as a heritage city under the cultural tag both by the state and national governments. The total harmony of architectural buildings, sites, lakes, parks and open spaces and the back drop of Chamundi hills adds to the city’s attraction. The city has long boulevards radiating from a well defined central axis, with well recessed public buildings balanced on either side, can be a model for any town planner. Architectural heritage includes not only individual buildings of exceptional quality and their surroundings or group of buildings providing a special setting by virtue of uniqueness of their architectural style, but also all areas and settings of cities which have historic or cultural interests. The city has both tangible and intangible heritage elements; with many urban design elements of built structure to include monuments, heritage buildings, precincts/ heritage areas and natural areas. A very few building have been identified by the State Archaeology Department and Mysore Urban Development Authority. This paper attempts to identify the heritage resources in the City of Mysore for conservation.