Thirumalai Nayak Palace was built in 1636 by King Thirumalai of the Nayak dynasty and at its peak combined Dravidian and Islamic architecture across a sprawling complex of more than ten courtyards. What remains is mostly the grand entrance hall and a single courtyard — but the courtyard is something extraordinary, with massive yellow stuccoed columns and high arches that feel more like a Mughal madrassa than a Hindu palace.
The site is open daily; a small museum off the side runs a sound-and-light show most evenings (English at 6.45pm) telling the story of Silappathikaram, one of the great Tamil epics. Allow an hour to look around in daylight.