During the 17th centuries, the Madurai Kingdom had Portuguese, Dutch and other Europeans as traders, missionaries and visiting travellers.

Over 400 years many parts of the buildings suffered the destructive effects of war; a few, however, are sufficiently in repair to be converted into use by the garrison, as granaries, store-houses, and powder magazines during the time of East India Company.

[2][3] Built in 1636, as a focal point of his capital at Madurai, Thirumalai Nayak intended the palace to be one of the grandest in South India.

During this period Madurai was a thriving kingdom with Portuguese, Dutch and other Europeans as traders, missionaries and visiting travelers.

[5][6] Art historians however consider this palace to be an outstanding example of Vijayanagara architecture in its late Tamil Country Nayaka style.

[1][7][8] Some of them evoke the origin of theories on the possible intervention of European architects and craftsmen, or of a major Western artistic influence, as motivated by a priori and colonial prejudices.

The Celestial Pavilion (Swarga Vilasam) was used as the throne room and has an arcaded octagon covered by a dome 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 m) high.

The domed structure in the center is supported by stone ribs and is held up by massive circular columns topped and linked by pointed scalloped arches with an arcaded gallery opening into the nave above the side aisles.

After independence, the Thirumalai Palace was declared as a national monument and is came under the protection of the archaeological department of Tamil Nadu.