Jaipur is one of the most colorful cities in the world. It is also popularly known as the Pink City of India. This enthralling and historic city is the gateway to the most flamboyant state of Rajasthan. This comprehensive guide will take you through some of the most popular places in the city.
# Amber FortAmber fort got built-in in the sixteenth century by Raja Man Singh. This fort was called Dhundar and it was governed by Kachhwahas. Before the sixteenth century, Amer was considered to be the capital city of Rajasthan. Raja Man Singh constructed a fort in 1592 that became popular as Amer Fort. It has two distinct and amazing palaces that lie adjacent to each other. These palaces are called the ‘Summer Palace’ and the ‘Winter Palace’ or ‘Sheesh Mahal’.
# City PalaceCity Palace is the key palace that was ruled by the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. This palace includes the Mubarak Mahal and Chandra Mahan with several other buildings located inside the complex. Lying in the north-eastern direction of Jaipur city, it is a popular tourist attraction in Rajasthan state. The huge complex of this palace occupies 1/11th of the walled Jaipur city.
City Palace includes the Mubarak Mahal and the Chandra Mahal and various other significant palaces. This palace was used as the residence of the Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. This museum displays several distinctive handcrafted products.
# Hawa MahalHawa Mahal is also called as Palace of Winds. It was constructed in 1799 by the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, “Sawai Pratap Singh”. Before this monument, he had constructed the incredible City Palace. Lal Chand Usta designed this fabulous monument. The design of this structure resembles the crown of Lord Krishna.
The main attractions of the Hawa Mahal Palace are its “953 windows” that are also called ‘Jharokhas’. These large windows fill the palace with cool winds and make the entire environment pleasant and cool.
# Jal MahalJal Mahal is a beautiful palace that lies in the core of Man Sagar Lake. Earlier the area on which the palace and lake stands was used as the water logging site. The Maharaja of Amer constructed a dam at this place.
The water collected in the dam helped in the prevention of famine-struck zones. Maharaja Madho Singh built the Jal Mahal in 1750. This is a five-story building that was constructed with red sandstone. The palace has been standing for more than two hundred and fifty years without any issues regarding water seepage.
# Sisodia Rani GardenSisodia rani garden is situated at a ten km distance from the pink city, Jaipur. This place grabs undivided attention and appreciation from tourists in the appealing Jaipur city. Sisodia rani garden is a symbolism of love. Its enticing layered gardens and beautiful fountains appeal to the visual and artistic tastes of spectators.
# Jantar MantarJantar Mantar is regarded as the world’s largest astronomical observatory. It was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II between 1727 and 1733 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He has been a renowned astrologer and a great scholar of his time. Jantar Mantar lies adjacent to the City Palace.
This monument comprises varying architectural planetary instruments. It has got 14 prime geometric devices to predict eclipses, measure time, and determine the declination of planets. The Samrat Jantar is considered the chief instrument. Its shadow helps in the determination of the time. Other types of instruments present in this observatory are Ram yantra, Dhruva Yantra, and Jai Prakash Yantra.
# Albert Hall Museum
Albert Hall Museum is a very ancient museum in the Rajasthan state. This museum was built by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob. It got opened as a “public museum” in 1887. The building is considered to be the key attraction in Jaipur city. With several picturesque scenes and photo clicking opportunities, Albert Hall Museum makes it an ideal location for photography lovers.
Albert Hall Museum is a perfect illustration of Indian-Saracenic architecture. This place contains a massive collection of coins, statues, paintings, and crafts. You will be dazzled to see a broad display of Rajasthan tribes and rich history.
# Nahargarh FortNahargarh fort was constructed by Jai Singh II. Besides the robust Jaigarh and Amer forts, this fort was also used as an important defense mechanism for the city. Nahargarh Fort is situated on one of the most primitive hills of the Aravalli range.
The breathtaking views of the Jaipur city from this fort can amaze any tourist. There are several structures and buildings that lie within the Fort, one of them is Diwan-I-Aam. It is an open structure where the king used to meet the common men and solve their complaints and issues.
# Jaigarh FortJaigarh Fort is an ancient fort just like the Amer Fort. With strong protection, this fort is seen as a significant gun foundry. The main objective to construct the Jaigarh fort was to reinforce the protection of Amber. Due to this reason, the design of the Amber fort is simple.
On visiting this fort, the most fabulous thing that you will find is a big gun on wheels called “Jaivana”. You will also find a museum and an armory inside the fort. The arsenal consists of an exemplary collection of shields, swords, muskets, cannonballs, and guns. In the museum, you will see photos of Maharajas, buildings, processions and royalty, and other remains of that time.
# Birla TempleThe Birla Temple is another important place in Jaipur city. This place is originally called Lakshmi Narayan Temple. It is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. This temple is a significant architectural landmark of Jaipur city. It is constructed in stunning white marble. Inside the glorious Birla Temple, you will find a gorgeously carved sculpture of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu.
The subtle states of Hindu symbols and ancient quotes from the Upanishads and Geeta will leave you spellbound. Another beautiful sight of the temple that fascinates people is its walls that recognize the mythical events inscribed on its walls. Besides the religious pictures, sculptures, and facts of various philosophers, religious saints, and historical achievers are a special attraction for tourists. The brilliant work of art represents its architectural beauty in a contemporary form.