City Palace

Lonely Planet review

This palace is impressive - a vast complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings. The outer wall was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II (1693-1743), but other additions are much more recent, some dating from the early 20th century. Today the palace is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. Beyond the main courtyard is the seven-storey Chandra Mahal, the maharaja's residence (off limits to visitors).

There are two entrances: the main entrance, approached through Virendra Pol, and an entrance through Udai Pol near Jaleb Chowk.

Entering through Virendra Pol, you'll see the Mubarak Mahal (Welcome Palace), a reception centre for visiting dignitaries. Built in the late 19th century by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, it's a heady combination of Islamic, Rajput and European architecture. It now forms part of the Maharaja Sawai Mansingh II Museum, which contains a collection of royal costumes and superb shawls, including Kashmiri pashmina (wool shawls). One remarkable exhibit is Sawai Madho Singh I's clothing. He was a cuddly 1.2m wide, weighed 250kg and, appropriately for such an excessive figure, had 108 wives.

The armoury is housed in the former apartments of the maharanis (wives of the maharajas). As visitors enter, fearsome daggers spell out their welcome. Many of the ceremonial weapons are beautifully engraved and inlaid, as are lethal weapons such as the two-bladed daggers that, at the flick of a catch, become scissors inside their victims. If you're not into bloody weaponry, the mirrored and gold-inlaid ceilings are well worth a gaze.

Contained in the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience) is a great array of exhibits, including a touching collection of illustrated manuscripts showing everything from scenes from everyday life to the tales of the gods. The miniature copies of Hindu scriptures were small enough to hide in case Aurangzeb, the Mughal ruler, attempted to destroy them. Between the armoury and the art gallery is the Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), with a marble-paved gallery in which you can see enormous silver vessels 1.6m tall (reputedly the largest silver objects in the world); Maharaja Madho Singh II, as a devout Hindu, used these vessels to take holy Ganges water to England.

Don't miss the gates of the courtyard Pitam Niwas Chowk, representing spring, summer, autumn and winter - and above all the gorgeous bas reliefs of the peacock gate. Beyond this is the private palace, the Chandra Mahal.

Admission to the palace also gets you in to Jaigarh Fort; it's valid for two days.