The Padmanabha Swamy Temple is probably the only Indian temple that has not been looted by the Western invaders. Two millennia of South India's history sleeps in those vaults. The value of that history is ten times the physical value of that wealth.

The main gopuram of the temple is located facing the gate of the eastern fort of the Kottamatili surrounding the temple. Built in the Dravidian style, this main gopuram of the temple is one of the landmarks of Thiruvananthapuram city.

Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple is a great temple that holds a very important place in the history of South India. This great temple has at least 2000 years of clear oral history and an obscure history that goes back perhaps a millennium.

The temple is situated in an important geographical area. This region is the southern tip of India, dominated by all the major South Indian powers at various times. The Kanyakumari and Nagar Kovil area, which is part of present day Tamil Nadu, is a region where the height of the Western Ghats falls sharply.

Even millennia ago, Pandyadesa and Malanad had constant trade and cultural relations with us along this southern region. This is the region where steel, spices and coral textiles were exported to the western world even two and a half millennia ago.

Gold flowed into the region through trade from Rome between 100 BCE - 200 CE. Discussions about this were held in the Roman Senate at that time. The Cherans and the Ai tribe were unique in the manufacture of steel. Some Adima Chera kings also had the name "Irumpore". The Cholas were ahead in the clothing trade.

The Pandyas were masters of pearls and corals. South Indian-Western trade two millennia ago was through ports like Pukar, Korke, Muchiri and Poowar. A portion of the gold that flowed through this trade was deposited in the great temples of South India. This is how wealth came to great temples like Madurai Meenakshi Temple, Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, Padmanabhaswamy Temple.

All other temples except Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple were looted by Mughal, Afghan, Dutch and British invaders. Mughal-Afghan invaders looted the Madurai Meenakshi temple and smuggled hundreds of tons of gold. The temple at Tiruchendur was attacked and looted by the Dutch in the 18th century.

Because of the geographical and military characteristics of Travancore, no one was able to capture the treasure of the Padmanabha Swamy Temple at that time. Tipu Sultan, who tried it last, got injured in the battle and had to escape.