Royal Palaces of India

Royal Palaces of India

The palace of Mysore, also known as the Amba Vilas Place is one of the most famous tourist attractions in India after Taj Mahal and is visited by more than 2.7 million visitors annually. It is situated in the city of Mysore in Karnataka and is the official residence of Wodeyars, the former royal family of Mysore. The architecture found here is a blend of Hindu, Muslim, Rajput and gothic styles, which is described as Indo-Saracenic. Mysore Dasara festival, celebrated here during the season of autumn attracts people from various parts of the world.

Umaid Bhawan Palace is the main residence of the royal family of Jodhpur, which is one of the biggest private residences in the world. The palace, constructed between 1929 and 1944, is named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, who is the grandfather of the current owners of the Palace. This historical heritage monument has 347 rooms and a part of this palace is now managed by Taj Hotels.

The Lake Place of Udaipur is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world, which is now converted into a hotel equipped with 66 rooms and 17 suites. The Sisodias built it in the 17th century and the palace consists of royal durbars, huge courtyards, pillared terraces, fountains and gardens. This 250-year old palace was formerly called Jag Niwas.

Padmanabhapuram palace is located in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu; but it comes under Kerala Government's administration. The palace belongs to the Rajas of Travancore and is one of the finest examples of traditional Kerala architecture. The carvings made of rosewood and the sculptured decor in the interiors of the palace along with the 17th and 18th century murals are some of the features which fascinate tourists, especially foreigners. Mantrasala (King's Council Chamber), Nataksala (Hall of Performance) and Thekee Kottaram (Southern Palace) are few other interesting characteristics of this palace.

Hawa Mahal or 'Palace of Winds', located in Jaipur was built in the year 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh. The palace is designed in the form of the crown of Lord Krishna and the marvel of architect Lal Chand Ustad can be seen in this beautiful construction. This pyramid shaped monument with 953 small windows stands as the entrance to the City Palace, Jaipur and is a prominent landmark here. Try to get a glimpse of this charming construction early morning in the golden sunlight, which makes it even more striking.

Bangalore Palace is located at the heart of Bangalore and is a replica of the Windsor Castle in England. It was built by Rev. Garrett between the years 1862 and 1944, which was later bought by the Maharaja of Mysore. Currently the palace is owned by Srikanta Datta Narsimharaja Wadiyar of Mysore Royal family; the old paintings of the mid-19th century and a dining table belonging to the Diwan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail are some of the attractions of this palace.

Jai Vilas Palace is an Italianate structure, which is mix of Tuscan and Corinthian architectural modes located in the city of Gwalior. Currently, the Scindia family (a Maratha clan) resides here and around 35 rooms have been transformed into the Scindia museum. The palace which was built in the year 1809 was designed by Lt. Col. Sir Michael Filose and some of the gorgeous features of this place include- the antique furniture from France and Italy, the stunning ceilings and fine Persian carpets.

The construction of Leh Palace located in the town of Leh took inspiration from the Potola Palace in Tibet. King Sengge Namgyal built this in the 17th century, but the palace was later abandoned due to some issues. One can find good collection of jewellery, ornaments and thangkas in the Palace museum.

Laxmi Vilas Palace in Baroda, Gujarat:it is one of the biggest palaces in the world, nearly four times the great Buckingham Palace. The royal residence of the family of Gaekwads, it was constructed in 1890 and is known for its glorious design. The palace was constructed by an architect called, Major Charles Mant.

City Palace, jaipur has two main palatial buildings called Mubarak Mahal and Chandra Mahal. Built in 1732 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the palace is an example of majestic architecture and amazing interior design.

Ranjit Vilas Palace in Wankaner, Gujarat. The palace was built by Maharaja Amarsinhji and is known for its extraordinary European style architecture with the use of high quality Italian marble.

Dating from 1884, the Taj Falaknuma Palace was once the private residence of the Nizams family, who welcomed such illustrious guests as King George V and Tsar Nicholas II to their hilltop palace overlooking Hyderabad. Today, following a meticulous ten-year renovation by Taj Hotels, the palace is open to visitors, and the regalia of its stately past is on sparkling display. Built from Italian marble with unique Tudor-meets Italian architecture, the palace resembles a scorpion when seen from above, its two stings housing the Historic Suites. The interiors brim with museum-quality antiques from around the world: French tapestries adorn the walls and hallways of the public spaces, original frescoes provide Baroque flourishes, and forty Belgian-cut Osler chandeliers are suspended from the ceilings. It is a palatial enclave fit for royalty.

The Amar Mahal Palace is a palace in Jammu, in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, India, which has now been converted into a Museum. It was built in the nineteenth century for Raja Amar Singh, a Dogra king by a French architect on the lines of a French Chateau. The palace was donated to the Hari-Tara charitable trust by Dr. Karan Singh for use as a museum.^[1] It has many exhibits including a golden throne weighing 120 kg, Pahari miniature and Kangra miniature paintings, a library of 25,000 antique books and many rare art collections.

Laxmi Vilas palace at Bikaner: Bikaner is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan in northern India. It was formerly the capital of the princely state of Bikaner. The city was founded by rajput Rao Bika in 1486 and from its small origins it has developed into the fifth largest city in Rajasthan.

Although less impressive than the royal palace at Udaipur, the former residence of the Maharaja of Jaisalmer nonetheless boasts a beautiful façade which is typical of Rajput architecture. This delicate filigree stonework, adorned with numerous corbelled balconies, bears witness to the art of the Muslim sculptors and stonemasons, known as Silavats, who worked in the region. Above all, the palace offers a magnificent view of the golden city, with the Thar desert in the background.