The Goodagopuram — the seven-storey bell tower that forms the most prominent external element of the Thanjavur Royal Palace — is one of the best vantage points in the city. Climbing the narrow internal staircase takes you up through the palace layers to views across the rooftops of the old city, with the vimana of the Brihadisvara Temple dominant to the west and the flat green expanse of the Cauvery delta stretching in every other direction.
The tower is a mix of architectural traditions: the lower storeys are in the Nayaka style, the upper sections were modified under Maratha patronage. It has something of a fort watchtower about it as well as a ceremonial tower — the kind of structure that served both functions simultaneously. Access is included in the Royal Palace complex ticket and the climb is worth the effort.