Where is the Amber Palace?
Amber Palace is located at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur, the capital of
Rajasthan. It was the former capital of the Kacchwaha Rajputs. The Amber
Fort is a major attraction in the city of Jaipur. Tourist can enter the fort
by riding an elephant to the splendid Singh Pol gateway.
How will you gain access?
The Sanganer Airport (11 km from the City centre) is the closest airport.
There are direct flight services to places like Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur,
Jodhpur and Aurangabad. By rail-route, the city of Jaipur has links with
Bikaner, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Secundarabad, Agra, Lucknow, Mumbai,
Chennai and Kolkata. The Delhi-Jaipur National Highway is counted among the
finest roads in the country. The Rajasthan Roadways runs AC and deluxe
coaches from Delhi.
What are the timings and the entry charges?
The Amber Palace remains open from 09-30 to 16-30 hours. For Indians, the
entry fee is Rs 10, while for the foreign nationals an amount of Rs 50 is
charged.
What does the past say?
The army commander of the Mughal Army, Raja Man Singh I began the
construction of the Amber Palace in the year 1592. Later Raja Jai Singh and
Sawai Jai Singh finished the construction of the palace.
What goes behind the architecture?
The Amber Palace is built in red sandstone and white marble, symbolising a
wonderful combination of the Hindu and the Mughal architecture. The fort
complex constitutes of gateways, gardens, halls, stairways, pillared
pavillions, temples and palaces. Some of the monuments inside the complex
include Sheesh Mahal, Jai Mandir, Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khaas and Kali
Temple. The gigantic battlements, exquisite towers and the defensive
structures of the fort are worth exploring. The Ganesha Pol is a massive
gateway, decorated with paintings of the elephant-headed god Ganesha. There
is the formal garden of Charbagh that is worth a visit. The Sukh Niwas and
the Jagmandir Apartments are beautiful examples of the fusion of the Rajput
and the Mughal architecture.
What are the nearby attractions?
» Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds is a five-storey structure,
consisting of tiny windows, arched roofs and balconies. It was erected for
the royal ladies to watch the processions and other numerous activities in
the streets.
»
City Palace
The City Palace is a wonderful combination of the Rajasthani and the Mughal
architecture. The complex has a number of buildings, gardens and courtyards
inside.
» Jantar Mantar
The Jantar Mantar or the observatory was built by Sawai Jai Singh in the
year 1728. The scientific instruments or the Yantras were built to measure
the local time, the sun's declination, azimuth and altitude, the declination
of fixed stars and planets and to determine eclipses.
» Gaitor
Gaitor lies at a distance of 8 km from Jaipur. There are a number of
cenotaphs of the members of the royal family. These cenotaphs or Chhatris
stand in a garden at the base of the Nahargarh Hills. The white-marble
cenotaph of Sawai Jai Singh II is one of the most beautiful.
