Cheena Kottaram

Cheena Kottaram China Palace
Interactive map of the Cheena Kottaram China Palace area
General information
Architectural style	Indo-Saracenic
Location	Chinnakada, Kollam city, India
Coordinates	8.885402°N 76.591475°E / 8.885402; 76.591475
Completed	1904
Client	Sri Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma

Cheena Kottaram or China Palace is a rest house that was constructed in 1904 for Sri Mulam Tirunal Rama Varma, the then-King of Travancore. The palace was completed along with the commissioning of Quilon-Madras rail line. It is a single-storied, red-brick building with seven rooms. The architecture of Cheena Kottaram is Indo-Saracenic—generally a blend of Indian architecture, European, Islamic, and Moorish architecture. Cheena Kottaram is yet to get the 'National Heritage Monument' accreditation.

Etymology

Kollamites called this rest house Cheena Kottaram (China Palace) because of its resemblance to the ancient Chinese buildings.

History

Before the independence of India, the commercial capital of Travancore kingdom was Quilon (Kollam) - the city with the best business and commercial reputation in the Travancore-Malabar Coast, with high level of export-import operations through the flourishing Quilon Port. Kollam was known as Palace City that time as there were so many palaces in the city then. Quilon Aerodrome, serving the Travancore-Malabar Coast, was the only airport in Kollam city at that time. During that time, there was no rail-air connectivity to Thiruvananthapuram. Kings of Travancore used to travel from Kollam. Rail connections arrived with the construction of the Cheena Kottaram, close to the Quilon Junction railway station.