Saraswathi Mahal Library Tourism
Type of destination: Historical Library
Ideal visit duration: 1-2 hours
Closed in: Sundays and Public Holidays
The Saraswathi Mahal Library, also known as Thanjavur Maharaja Serfoji's Sarasvati Mahal Library, is one of the oldest libraries in Asia, located in the historic city of Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. Founded around 1700 AD and open to the public since 1918, the library is a treasure trove of knowledge with a rich collection that includes rare palm leaf manuscripts and paper written in Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Marathi, and a few other languages indigenous to India. This repository of knowledge is situated within the Vijayanagara fort complex and is part of the Thanjavur Palace. It has been meticulously preserved and serves as an important research facility for scholars studying the medieval South Indian written word, arts, culture and history. The building itself is a fine example of traditional Indian architecture.
Opening and Closing time of Saraswathi Mahal Library
| Monday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Tuesday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Wednesday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Thursday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Friday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Saturday |
09:00 AM to 05:30 PM |
| Sunday |
Closed |
Disclaimer: It's important to check the most current information before planning your visit, as opening hours can vary and might be subject to change due to special events, maintenance, or unforeseen circumstances. A reliable way to confirm the opening hours is to contact the local tourism board, check the official website (if available)
Entry Ticket Pricing for Saraswathi Mahal Library
Disclaimer: Please note that prices are subject to change, cross check required .
Tips when you are visiting to Saraswathi Mahal Library
Tip1
Photography is not allowed inside the library.
Tip2
Prior permission may be required to access research materials.
Tip3
Be respectful of the silence to maintain the library's ambiance.
Top 5 Reviews on Saraswathi Mahal Library
sankalans
Wrote on 27th Dec, 2021
Interesting detailed documents on a range of subjects - Cataract surgery to Daily Vegetable shopping...
The first Maratha ruler who made copious documentation of his rule like Rajaraja Chola was the last sovereign Maratha ruler of Thanjavur, Serfoji II. His documents, known as Modi documents (Modi was a..
Gopalan348
Wrote on 18th Dec, 2021
Palace. Sculpture art gallery. Heritage Library.
Upto 4 hours can be spend in this complex.
Art Gallery
The art gallery has wonderful collection of idols. They are 1mostly 10 to 16 th century bronze and stone sculptures. The main hall has spectacu..
_ritamanning66
Wrote on 25th Feb, 2020
Interesting library
Small library museum with some interesting documents and artefacts . Need to pay small fee to use camera and some places are still restricted
njan45
Wrote on 7th Feb, 2020
An Old Library
This is an old Library started by the Maratha rulers and is actually a part of the Palace complex. They are closed during the lunch time. Well, the actual library part is not shown to the visitors. Yo..
shajuw1
Wrote on 24th Jan, 2020
Waste of time
Palace is divided in to many places called art gallery.l,library ,Audio visual theatre nothing worth seeing
