City Palace, Jaipur
Location :
The City Palace, Jaipur is situated in the heart of the Pink city,
Jaipur.
Timings:
9:30 Hrs to 16:30 Hrs
Best time to visit :
October to March, when the climate is cooler.
About the Palaces
The Grand structure, strategically located in the mid of Jaipur city,
was the idea of Sawai Jai Singh II of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs. The
main fort was constructed by him and the interiors were later built by
his successors. The palace is one of prime attractions of Jaipur and
attracts thousands of visitors. Its a marvellous building -
scientifically designed and perfectly mixed with the traditional
architecture. The City Palace covers one seventh of the city area and
the plan of the palace is exactly similar to the plan of the city
Architecture of the Palace
The architecture of the palace is a synthesis of Mughal and Rajasthani
style. It is a huge compound and has many courtyards, gardens,
structures, small palaces and halls inside it. Not only the palace, but
the different Mahals inside the palace are decorated with pillars,
arches, Mehrabs, grills and beautiful inlay works. Sawai Jai Singh II
left behind a legacy of some of the most imposing and magnificent
architecture, art and craft structure in the city. The palace has two
entrances: one from Jaleb Chowk and another being from Tripolia Gate
side. The palace covers almost one seventh part of the city.
Interiors of the Palace
The palace houses several palatial structures like the Chandra Mahal,
Shri Govind Dev Temple, Mubarak Mahal, Mukut Mahal, and the City Palace
Museum.
Chandra Mahal: It is a seven storeyed building and
each floor has a distinct name. The lower two levels have the Maharaja
Sawai Man Singh II Museum, which has a large collection of 15th century
weapons, carpets and rarities. There is a Sukh Nivas, which has the
drawing and the dining area. On the fourth floor is the 'Shobha Nivas',
decorated with mirrors all over and has gold leaf and mica decorations.
The fifth floor is the 'Chavi Nivas' and the sixth floor is known for
the beautiful view it offers of the surrounding area. The uppermost
floor is the 'Mukut Mahal'.
Mubarak Mahal: The Mubarak Mahal used to be the
reception hall in the palace. This palace is known for its European
style of architecture. The gateway from this hall leads to the
Diwan-E-Khas (meeting room of the top ranked ministers). Two large
silver vessels are kept in the Diwan-E-Khas. These vessels are listed in
the Guiness book of world record, for being the largest silver vessel in
the world.
Sileh-Khana: It is a beautifully painted hall and
showcases the weapons and armors of 15th century. The Sarvatobhadra Art
Gallery is adjacent to the Diwan-E-Khas. This Art Gallery was the
Sabha-Niwas (regular meeting hall) earlier.
Reaching Jaipur:
By Air: Jaipur is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur,
Jodhpur, Aurangabad, Calcutta and Varanasi by domestic flights.
By Rail: The train service to Jaipur is available from
all the major parts of the country. The train services to Jaipur are
slower, because of the metre gauge line.
By Road: Jaipur can be accessed from all the major
places in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai by bus.
