Udaipur City Palace Travel Guide
Travel to Udaipur City Palace - Rajasthan’s Finest Palace?
- Ratings:
- 4 out of 5 (2 votes)
-
Reviews:
-
Be the first to write a review
Most cities in Rajasthan have a City Palace but few, if any, have the setting of Udaipur’s. Towering over the Lake Pichola Maharana Udai Singh’s vision came good through his own efforts and those of the Mewar leaders that followed him and their legacy is one of the best examples of Rajput architectural design to be found anywhere in the country.
Commenced in the late 16th century by the city’s founding father, Udai Singh and added to subsequently the City Palace is now an amazing 244m long and over 30m high. Balconies and cupolas grace the tiered façade which looks over the lake. Entry to the palace is via the Hati Pol, or Elephant Gate. The Bari Pol or the Big Gate brings you to the Tripolia, the Triple Gate. It was customary that the Maharana would be weighed under this gate and this weight in gold and silver was distributed to the populace; today it forms the main ticket office. This gateway leads into the heart of the palace and to the many sumptuous rooms within.
Attractions in Udaipur City Palace
There are many interesting rooms to explore inside the palace and most are superbly decorated with mirror tiles, paintings or other ornamentation. Suraj Gokhada or the Balcony of the Sun is where the Maharana would grant public audiences, mainly to boost the morale of the people in difficult times, whilst the Mor Chowk is the Peacock Square and gains its name from the vivid blue peacock mosaic picked out in glass decorates its walls.
The majority of the palace is preserved as a museum with a remarkable and eclectic array of artefacts. There is an armoury museum exhibiting a huge collection of frightening weaponry and, through the Ganesh Deori, the Rajya Angan, the royal courtyard where Udai Singh met the sage who told him to build a city here.
Manak Mahal or the Ruby Palace has a lovely collection of glass and mirror work whilst the Krishna Vilas display a rich collection of miniature paintings. The Moti Mahal or Pearl Palace has beautiful mirror work and the Chini Mahal is decorated with tiles. Within the Surya Chopar or Sun Square is a large ornamental sun which symbolises the Mewar’s sun dynasty. Views over the old city can be enjoyed from the Bari Mahal where there is also a central garden.
Also in the City Palace complex there is a Government Museum with archaeological finds and sculpture work. Here too can be found some miniature paintings from the local and renowned Mewar school. Also here is the renovated Fateh Prakash Palace, now a hotel, whose Gallery Restaurant is the perfect spot to relax with excellent views.
Activities in Udaipur City Palace
Allow at least a half-day to explore the City Palace, relax over a cup of tea and enjoy the views over the city and Lake Pichola.
Relaxing
The best place to relax is in the Gallery Restaurant which is located inside the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel, itself in the City Palace complex. As you might expect by now there are wonderful views over Lake Pichola.
Getting Around
The City palace is easily approached on foot being in the historic old city.
Udaipur City Palace Reviews
Why not be the first and add your review below?