It was during the 70s’ and the 80s’ of the 19th century that some kind of systematic improvement of the City was taken up. New extensions, parks and markets were laid out and a comprehensive system of drainage, later developed and completed on elaborate line by Sir M Visvesvaraya, was adopted in 1910. The City got its electric lighting around this time and its exemplary and spacious planning was conceived and put on the drawing board.

These years also mark Mysore’s golden era of architecture. The present-day setting and architecture have taken shape mostly in the late 19th century and early 20th century, with works commissioned by the maharajas and their dewans. The stately Krishnarajendra temple built in 1918 was a precursor of many more imposing public buildings that were to come up.

While the Mysore Palace is the flagship of the heritage architecture of Mysore, the Jaganmohan Palace is one of the oldest buildings here. Today, every other public building in Mysore is a heritage building or so it seems — the City Corporation office, Maharaja’s College, Krishnarajendra Hospital, Marimallappa’s High School, Oriental Research Institute, Mysore University’s administrative building, the Clock tower, Devaraja market, to name just a few. The Government has identified 139 buildings as heritage buildings in Mysore city through INTACH. Among these heritage buildings, while 34 of them are maintained by PWD, others are under the ownership of Mysore City Corporation, University of Mysore, Government of India, and private individuals.