India Travel Destination » Fort and Palaces India »Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, Hawa Mahal is the most stunning monument in Jaipur. The crown shaped palace, overlooking one of the main streets of the city, was originally built to act as a veil from behind which women of the royal family could watch the proceedings on the street below without being observed themselves. The five storeyed building made of pink sand stone contains numerous small casements, each with ornately carved tiny windows and arched roofs. One of the unique features of the building is that the entrance is from the rear end unlike other traditional buildings.

Entrance
A huge door opens from the City Palace into an open courtyard, leading to the Hawa Mahal. The fifty-foot-high structure is just a thin shield of stone with ramps built to reach up to small chambers used in the past by women of the royal family.

Architecture
The architectural marvel, an excellent example of the Rajput prowess, was designed by Lal Chand Usta. The five-storey building when looked from the street looks like a crown adorned on the head of a king. The 953 small casements, ornamented with lattice worked pink windows, of the palace display immaculate carvings and incredible architecture.

Attractions Around

The Amber Fort : The Amber Fort located just 11 kms. from Jaipur was built by Man Singh I in 1592. The fort built of white marble and red sandstone displays an immaculate fusion of Hindu and Muslim styles of architecture with walls adorned with miniature paintings, intricate carvings, mosaic and minute mirror work.

The City Palace : The City Palace is one of the main attractions of the pink city which is famous for its forts and temples. The palace, a combination of Rajasthani and Mughal forms of architecture, was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II. The palace complex comprises of many beautiful structures, courtyards, gardens and buildings.

Central Museum : The rich cultural heritage and past of the city is beautifully displayed at the Central Museum in the form of antique furniture, miniature paintings and other objects found in the royal palaces. The beautiful building which houses the museum is an attraction in itself.

Jantar Mantar : The observatory was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II to study the position and movement of planets and other celestial bodies. The sun clock situated here among many other instruments, is accurate to a tiny fraction of a second.Besides the above, other attractions located nearby include Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, Govind Deoji Mandir, Rambagh Palace, Kanak Valley and Laxmi Narayan Temple.

MAKE YOUR OWN TRIP
*(represents Compulsory Fields)
*Name :		* E-Mail :
*Country :		* Phone :
* No. of Persons :		Date of Travel :
Duration of Stay :
* Your Requirements