Lalbagh Glasshouse and Kempegowda Tower

Lalbagh Botanical Garden lies on Lalbagh Road in Mavalli, southern Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, and contains two landmarks of historical interest: the Glasshouse of 1889 and a Kempegowda watchtower. The garden itself was laid out in the 18th century under Hyder Ali and developed further by his son Tipu Sultan, and later the British added botanical collections and structures. The Glasshouse, completed in 1889, was modelled on London's Crystal Palace and is an iron-and-glass conservatory set on a stone base. It hosts the celebrated flower shows held around Republic Day in January and Independence Day in August, which fill the hall with themed floral displays. The Kempegowda Tower is a stone watchtower attributed to Kempe Gowda II, the Vijayanagara-era chieftain who is said to have raised four towers to mark the extent of the city he envisioned. The tower at Lalbagh sits on a rocky outcrop, which is also one of the oldest exposed rock formations in the area, and offers a view of the garden and city. Together the two features show the Vijayanagara-era boundary and the colonial botanical tradition in one place. The garden contains lawns, a lake, a bandstand, old trees and specimen plantings, and the Glasshouse is used mostly for shows rather than as a permanent museum. Repairs and conservation of the Glasshouse have been carried out by the state horticulture department, with the metal frame and glazing periodically restored. The tower is modest in scale and interpretive signage is limited. Visitors should allow around two hours for a full circuit of the garden, and early morning is the pleasant time for walks and birdwatching, before crowds arrive on weekends and flower show days.