Belhaven Palace is a mansion of historic importance located in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. It currently houses Reserve Bank of India's Visiting Officers' Quarters.
History
The mansion was originally owned by Theodore Lawrence Gomez,[1] a wealthy businessman of Portuguese descent. T.L. Gomez maintained a racecourse around the elevated area around the property.[2] In the late-1880s, the palace became the venue for a club where Europeans in the city socialized.[3] In 1902, the mansion was bought by Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma for his Royal Consort Vadasseri Ammachi Panapillai Amma Srimathi Lakshmi Pillai Karthiani Pillai Kochamma.[3] RBI purchased the bungalow from the descendants of the erstwhile Travancore Royal Family in 1968. The regional office of RBI operated out of this building from 1968 to 1982.[4] In 1984, when Southern Air Command[5] was set up, Belhaven Palace housed the headquarters of the command. It continued to be so till 1996 when the headquarters was moved to Akkulam.
References
- ↑ Maya Gomez. www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
- ↑ Heritage Walk explores low-key landmarks in Thiruvananthapuram. The Hindu(2019-07-29). Retrieved 2019-07-31.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Avenue Kowdiar - Premium Homestay at Kowdiar, Thiruvananthapuram. www.avenuekowdiar.com. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
- ↑ Reserve Bank of India - Trivandram - Profile. m.rbi.org.in. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
- ↑ Southern Air Command, Indian Air Force - Database. Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2019-07-31.