A fire on February 20, 1897 destroyed the northern part of the earlier palace. Henry Irwin, a British architect chosen after the Maharani admired his Viceregal Lodge in Shimla, designed the new palace for Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, with E. W. Fritchley also credited. Construction began in 1897 and was completed in 1912, with renovations in the early 1930s.
The article calls the style Indo-Saracenic, blending Mughal, Rajput, Hoysala and Gothic elements. It is about 246 feet (75 m) long and 157 feet (48 m) wide. The central tower rises five stories under a gold-plated onion dome. Stone, brick and iron were used to reduce fire risk, and the marriage hall has cast-iron pillars made in Glasgow and a stained-glass dome.
The infobox lists three floors, while the text describes five-story towers. During Navaratri about 100,000 bulbs light the palace. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except the last two days of Navaratri.
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