City palace: Located in the heart of the walled city, The City Palace Complex gives you an idea about the farsightedness of the founder of Jaipur Sawai Jai Singh. He left behind a legacy of some of the most imposing and magnificent architecture, art and craft structure in the city.
Jantar Mantar: Across the road from the palaces is the famous JANTAR MANTAR one of the five observatories in India . Built by Sawai Jai Singh, this is one of the largest and the best preserved. A passionate hobby of the king in the field of Astronomy, numerology, insighted him to execute this observatory and with the help of skilled labourers, they managed to create a collection of complex astronomical instruments chiselled out of stone and most of which continues to provide accurate information to this day.
Albert hall: Located just outside the walled city is the sprawling Ram Niwas garden, which has always been a place for recreational activities since the reign of Sawai Ram Singh ji. This exquisitely designed garden with forcentry doors and a huge complex with small pools and fountains, flourishing lawns and beautiful flower beds all around was basically a famine relief project.
Statue Circle: This is a traffic roundabout In Jaipur. The Statue Circle is not only the most famed circle but the most swarmly situated too. Almost half the Jaipur passes by it. It is the favourite lounge of Jaipur and a place for evening out, with'Meals on Wheels' standing by.
Moti Dungri (Ganesh Temple): In the middle of Jaipur rises a small hill Moti Dungri meaning pearl hill, because it looks hill a drop of pearl. An exotic palace is parched which is a replica of Scottish castle once occupied by Maharaja Madho Singh's son. From There on remained as a private property of the ruling family.
Hawa Mahal: Poet king Sawai Pratap Singh built this palace of winds. This is the most easily recalled landmarks of Jaipur and is also its icon. Located in the city Palace it is best viewed from the outside for the palace is really a facade. This five-storey building overlooking the busy bazaar street is a stunning example of Rajput architecture and artistry with its pink delicately honeycombed 953 sandstone windows known as 'jharokhas'.
Gaitore: It is the final resting place of the Maharajas of Jaipur and is located just off the Jaipur - Amber Road. Situated in a narrow valley the cenotaphs of the former Maharajas are chhatris made in typical Rajput architecture. The chhatri of Sawai Jai Singh II is of special mention for its carvings that exaggerate it.
Kanak Vrindavan: Not so old but definitely an exquisitely land scaped gardens with beautifully carved temple in beige stone, which is a vast complex with terrace sites all around and intricately carved marble columns and lattices. Located in the foothills of Nahargarh hills on the way towards Amer, this complex is a popular spot for picnic and film shoots.
Jaigarh Fort: The Jaigarh fort is the most spectacular of the three-hilltop forts that overlook Jaipur. In Mughal times, the Jaipur region was a major weapon-producing centre for the Mughal and Rajput rulers, several of which are on display in the fort's museum. It is one of the few military structures of medieval India preserved almost intact, containing palaces, a granary, a well-planned cannon foundry, several temples, a tall tower and a giant mounted cannon-the Jai Ban (Jaivan) which is the largest cannon in the world.
Nahargarh Fort: Nahargarh Fort is located on the sheer rugged ridge of Aravali Hills and it forms an impressive northern backdrop of Jaipur. It looks most classy when floodlit at night. The fort overlooks the city and presents a glittering view of the city lights. It was built in 1734 and extended in 1868. Nahargarh meaning abode of the tigers was built by Jai Singh to bolster the defence of Amber.
Amber: Amber (pronounced Amer) is situated about 11 kilometres from Jaipur and was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted in the plains to present day Jaipur. The Amber Fort set in picturesque and rugged hills is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Constructed by Raja Man Singh I in 1592 and completed by Sawai Jai Singh I the fort is made in red sand stone and white marble. |
