Location
The City Palace in Udaipur in the state of Rajasthan.
History
City Palace, a majestic monument, is situated in the heart of Udaipur and
was originally built by Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia Rajput clan and
extended to its present form by subsequent Maharanas. The Palace, made up of
granite and marble and is encompassed by fort walls and is the largest
palace complex in Rajasthan that overlooks the lake, Pichola.
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Architecture
The monument is characterised by a rare blend of medieval European and
Chinese architecture where the palace complex possesses a multitude of
remarkable buildings portraying immense beauty, lovely gardens and fountains
which are well planned and finely executed over the years. The 'Hati Pol',
or the 'Elephant Gate' is the entrance to the palace complex from the main
road and the biggest and most beautiful temple of Udaipur, the Jagdish
Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu is situated here. The 'Bara Pol,' the
'Great gate' (1600A.D) on the northern end leads to the first court yard,
which joins Tripolia or the 'triple gate'(1725 A.D). Between the two gates
there are eight carved marble arches or 'Toranas' under which the rulers in
the past were weighed against gold and silver, the value of which was then
given away to the poor. The exterior of the palace is rugged but inside, the
path gives way to innumerable enclosures with luxurious apartments
surmounted by balconies, hanging gardens, massive octagonal towers and
cupolas with splendid views over the lake and the city from the upper
terraces.
Raj Aangan' (Royal Courtyard-1571) is the oldest part of the palace and was
built by Maharana Udai Singh in the 16th century. The main part of the
palace with its several ' Mahals' is now preserved as a Museum where all the
rooms of the palace posses beautiful paintings, inlay glass work,antique
furniture and colourful enamel. The 'Krishna Vilas' houses a distinguished
range of miniature paintings highlighting royal processions,festivals and
games of the Maharanas. 'Mor Chowk' owns lovely glass mosaicsof peacocks,
set in the walls depicting the three seasons namely summer,winter and
monsoon. The 'Manak Mahal' or Ruby Palace has crystal and porcelain figures.
'Bhim Vilas' has Radha Krishna stories painted on the walls and has a glass
mosaic gallery, the 'Suraj Gokhala', with mesmerising stained glasses. The
'Zenana Mahal' or the queen's quarters lies to the south and the 'Dilkusha
Mahal' or Palace of Joy has frescoes and wall paintings while the 'Laxmi
Vilas Chowk' is an art gallery containing a distinctive collection of Mewar
paintings.The 'Chini Chitrashala' is known for its Chinese and Dutch
ornamental, the Moti Mahal or the Palace of Pearls has lavish decor and the
Sheesh Mahal or Palace of mirrors houses an inlaid mirror work. There is
also a Hawa Mahal and a Bari Mahal along with a alluring garden build on a
90 feet high natural rock formation. The highest point of the palace is the
Amar Vilas with exquisite hanging gardens with fountains, towers and
terraces and a majestic view of the town and Lake Pichola.
Best Time to visit
October to March
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Getting There
Air : There are daily Indian Airlines flights linking Udaipur with
Jodhpur, Jaipur, Aurangabad, Mumbai and Delhi. Dabok Airport lies at a
distance of 21 Km. from the city centre where the transportation by taxi
takes 35-45 minutes.
Rail : The Railway Station is about 4 Km. from the city centre and
Udaipur is directly linked by rail with Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Chittaur,
Jodhpur and Ahmedabad.
Road : Udaipur is connected by National Highway No. 8, the major
road link between Mumbai and Delhi. The Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh
and Madhya Pradesh Road Transport Corporation operate buses to Udaipur from
various regions. Private bus companies also operate in the region during
night hours. The State Transport Bus Stand is on City Station Road, NH 8,
Udaipur.
Accommodation
Shivnivas Palace hotel (a few minute walk from the City Palace) is a luxury
hotel.
Fateh Prakash Palace hotel (a part of City Palace complex) is a grand
heritage hotel.
Lakend hotel (a Lakeside hotel) is very close to the city centre.
The Trident hotel (an Oberoi hotel) is situated 10 minutes from the city
centre.
Udaivilas hotel, an Oberoi hotel.
Lake palace (a Taj hotel) is 1 km from the city centre.
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