Think
City Palace in Jaipur and you'll think of grandeur and enormity of scale.
You can only imagine while reading this page what kind of a palace this
might be which covers about one seventh of the total city area.
The monarchies of Jaipur are among some of the oldest in the world and they
believed that the building of palaces and forts denoted sovereignty of the
people of the region. Therefore whenever they were well settled in the
saddle, they mostly embarked upon hectic construction spree which resulted
in numerous additions to the cultural heritage in the form of monuments.
Know the City Palace
The City Palace in Jaipur is one such monument which has become a famous
landmark of the Pink City Jaipur. It was constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh
II who belonged to the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs who rose in prominence
under the Mughal protection. The successors of the Maharaja, however, made a
lot of changes and additions to the original building. The City Palace was
the very building which the royal family used for their personal residence
and the family still continues to do so.
Architecture
As is usual with the buildings of the Kachhwaha Rajputs, the City Palace in
Jaipur is also a marvelous blend of Mughal and Rajput style of architecture.
The City Palace consists of a series of courtyards, gardens and buildings.
The further additions made by the successors have only enhanced to the
overall effect of the palace.
» Mubarak Mahal
Built
under the guidance of architect Colonel Jacob, this is a captivating double
storeyed structure which was completed in the 19 th century. The Mubarak
Mahal has fine marble on its outer side and it follows the same design
pattern as that of other nearby structures. It has now been declared a part
of the Sawai Mansingh II museum as it houses the textile portion of the
museum.
» Sileh Khana
This structure is also situated near the Mubarak Mahal and it used to be a
place where the classical dancers and the singers practiced and trained
their pupils. Now this place is used to keep antique weapons that belong to
the 15 th century Rajpur kings and their armies.
» Chandra Mahal
The seven storeyed Chandra Mahal is situated in the centre of the City
Palace complex. The erstwhile royal family still resides here. While you are
on a visit here, don't miss the Pritam Niwas Chowk complete with four
gateways that represent the four seasons of the year.
» Diwan-e-Aam
The Diwan-e-Aam was built in 1760 for public audience but is now used as an
art gallery.
Other attractions in Jaipur
» Hawa Mahal
» City Palace
» Jantar Mantar
» Jaigarh Fort
» Nahargarh Fort
