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Top 10 Interesting facts about City Palace

The city palace is located in Jaipur, India. The palace was established in 1729 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II when he moved his court from Amber to Jaipur. He is also recognised as the founder of Jaipur. The palace hosts many ceremonial and religious events and thus makes it a prestigious part of India. This palace attracts tourists who wish to be taken back in time to the Rajput era. The unique architectural style that signifies royalty intrigues the visitors.

Additionally, the palace is rich with history that has been preserved and thus making it popular among history enthusiasts. This article looks at the interesting facts that make the historic site one of its kind and an icon of grandeur.

1. It was the official residence of the ruling family

Established in the heart of the pink city, the City Palace was the official residence of the Jaipur rulers. The palace was built in accordance with the Vastu Shastra by two renowned architects known as Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob and Vidyadhar Bhattacharya under the guidance of Sawai Jai Singh.

2. The small gates found in the inner courtyard are decorated with the theme of the Hindu god

The inner courtyard of the palace has four gates which have different roles and meanings. The gates are decorated in the theme of the Hindu god and they represent the Hindu gods and goddesses as well as the four seasons.
One gate called the peacock gate represents Autumn and it is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Another one is the Green Gate which represents spring and is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. The Lotus Gate has flower patterns that represent summer. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. The last gate is the Rose Gate which represents winter and is dedicated to Goddess Devi.

3. The architecture of the palace

The architecture of the palace is one of the features that attract tourists to the site as it is unique and grand. As one of the architects was Indian and the other one British, the palace has features of the European architectural designs and the Rajpul, Mughal designs. The fusion of two architectural styles created a unique piece of art that attracts tourists to this day.

4. The structures inside the palace

The City palace is well decorated inside to depict the royal lifestyle. The city palace takes up one-seventh of the city’s space and it features temples, courtyards, museums, gardens and edifices that are well maintained. The royal audience hall which was private was turned into an art gallery and it is decorated with magnificent chandeliers. These structures are the reason the tourists come to the palace as they want to see how the royals lived.

5. Part of the palace is a museum

A part of the City Palace was turned into a museum and it is now referred to as the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh Museum. The museum features the finest and largest collection of medieval arms of India including daggers, knives, swords, double-edged cutters and axes.

Additionally, the museum also houses a collection of baggis and one of them is a Victorian baggi that was gifted to the ruler by the Prince of Wales. The museum also has a mahadol which is a bamboo bar that was used to carry the idols of Hindu gods during celebrations

6. The palace is one of the main attractions in Jaipur

The City Palace is among the three main attractions that bring tourists to the old City of Jaipur. The Jantar Mantar, City Palace and Hawa Mahal are the three notable tourist attractions in the area. The three sites are critical to the economy in that they attract tourists who come and spend and thus generate revenue for the city.

7. There is a set of clothes worn by Sawai Madho Singh in the palace

Another notable attraction that tourists come to look at while visiting the City Palace is a set of clothes that were worn by Sawai Madho Singh. The clothes weighed 250 kilograms and were 1.2 metres long. These clothes are now part of the appeal of the City Palace in that the tourists want to see the famed set of clothes.

However, pictures are not allowed inside the museum and therefore, one only gets that moment to capture the image in memory.

8. The structure of the palace

The City Palace sits on the north-eastern part of Jaipur and it is built on a large tract of land. The large complex is surrounded by various temples, gardens, palaces and pavilions. Some of the notable places and monuments located inside the palace include Chandra Mahal which is the most known building in the palace. This building has seven stories and it features attractive mirrors, paintings and walls. Another one is the Maharani Palace which was the queen’s residence

Additionally, there is the Baggi Khana which is a museum that features European taxis, and ancient trains. There is also the Pritam Niwas Chowk which is the inner courtyard where the famous gates are located.

9. There are two jars found in the palace that are in the Guinness Book of World Records

Inside the City Palace, there are two sterling silver jars that are in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest silver sterling vessels in the world. This recognition increases the popularity of the attraction site in that both local and international tourists will be eager to come and witness the jar that made it to the Guinness Book of World Records.

10. The descendants of the ruling family reside in the palace

The Tripolia gate is strictly for the use of the royals residing in the City Palace. They occupy the Chandra Mahal which is a seven-story building that features attractive paintings, walls and mirrors. The view from the balcony gives a scenic view of the city and thus makes it an ideal place for royals to reside.