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Thiruvananthapuram which was previously called Trivandrum, is an ancient city with tradition dating back to 1000 BC. The city gets its name from the word, Thiru-anantha-puram, meaning the city of Anantha or the abode of the sacred Serpent Anantha on which Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the Hindu trinity, reclines.
Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the state of Kerala is a beautiful seaside city built on seven hills. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland.
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The Fort
at the southern end of M.G.Road, which encloses the famous Shri Padmanabhaswamy Vishnu Temple. The fort gateway leads to the temple, which is surprisingly enough, in the Dravidian style of architecture, typical of Tamil Nadu.
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Kovalam beach
15 km south of Trivandrum ranks amongst one of the loveliest beaches in the world. This sheltered bay is ideal for surfing, swimming and sun-bathing.
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Observatory
located on the highest point of the city, is one of the impressive architectural landmarks of Thiruvananthapuram.
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Padmanabha Swamy Temple
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the temple is a blend of the Kerala and Dravidian styles of architecture located inside the East Fort. One among rare Vishnu temples in , the presiding deity here is of Lord Vishnu reclining on Anantha the Serpent. The temple is a place for art lovers and is also known for its mural paintings and stone carvings.
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Agasthyakoodam
Agasthyakoodam is the second highest peak in Kerala and is also a part of Sahyadri range of mountains, at a height of 1890 metres above sea level. Teeming with wildlife, the forests of Agasthyakoodam abound in rare medicinal herbs and plants and brilliantly hued orchids. A bird watchers paradise, this legendary mountain is accessible by foot from Kotoor, near Neyyar Dam, as also from Bonacaud. The season from December to April is advocated for trekking.
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Kuthiramalika (Puthenmalika) Palace Museum
The rare specimen of workmanship in the traditional Travancore style of architecture also known for exquisite wood carvings was built by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal Balarama Varma - the King of Travancore, who was a great poet, musician, social reformer and statesman. The palace museum displays paintings and various priceless collections of the royal family and is located near the Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple.
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Padmanabhapuram Palace
The splendid palace is situated at Thuckalai, on the way to Kanyakumariwhich once the seat of the erstwhile rulers of Travancore. This is a well preserved wooden palace, a glorious testimony to the traditional Kerala School of architecture. The extraordinary murals, exquisite floral carvings and the black glossy granite floor have withstood the test of time.
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Napier Museum
The Napier Museum is located at Thiruvananthapuram which has a good collection of bronzes, ivory carvings, ancient musical instruments and life-size figures of Kathakali dancers. The art collection at the Sri Chitra Art Gallery contains paintings of the Mughal, Tanjore and Rajput schools and a special section, devoted exclusively to the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. There are, also, works of art from , Bali, and . The Zoological Gardens are, said to be, among the well-planned zoos in Asia . The Botanical Garden within the zoo consist of almost every tropical tree existing. The Observatory, located on the highest point of the city, is one of the impressive architectural landmarks of Thiruvananthapuram.
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Vizhinjam RockCut Cave
There are rock cut sculptures of the 18th century in the cave temple at Vizhinjam. The granite cave here encloses a one-celled shrine with a loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshinamurthi. The outer wall of the cave depicts half complete reliefs of the Hindu God Shiva with Goddess Parvathi.
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