Amber Fort, Amber Fort Timings, Amber Fort Entry Ticket, Amber Fort Online Ticket Booking, Amber Fort Accommodation. Amber Fort Guide, Amber Fort Ticket Counter, Amber Fort Entry Gate, Amber Fort Tour, Amber Fort Night Tour, About Amber Fort, What to do and don not at Amber Fort.
About Amber Fort
Amber Fort is located in Amer (a town with an area of 4 square kilometres (1.5 sq mi)), 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Jaipur, Rajasthan state, India. It is one of the principal tourist attractions in the Jaipur area, located high on a hill. Anber Fort Was Built By Raja Man Singh I. Amber Fort is known for its artistic style, blending both Hindu and Rajput elements. With its large ramparts, series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks the Maota Lake, at its forefront.
The Amber Fort was built by ‘Raja Shri Maan Singh JI Saheb’ (Maan Singh I) (December 21, 1550 – July 6, 1614) in 16th century. Man Singh, one of the first war chiefs or the trusted general of the Emperor Akbar. Akbar included him among the ‘Navaratnas’, or the 9 (nava) gems (ratna) of the royal court. Man Singh began the construction of a fortress-palace of white and red sandstone i.e. Amber Fort in 1592. He was the Kacchwaha (Rajput) of King of Amber, a state later known as Jaipur. Nearby he ordered to set a small temple devoted to ‘Sheela Mata’, his patron goddess.
Special things to Watch at Amber Fort
Diwaan-e-Aam and Diwaan-e-Khaas
Diwan-e-Aam or the ‘Hall of Public Audience’ is a beautiful hall stands on two rows of ornamented pillars and opens on three sides. It is said that king used to listen about needs and complaints of General public. ‘Diwan e-Khaas’ or the ‘Hall of Private Audience’ has delicate mosaic work in glass. In this hall, king used to meet special guests from other states, ministers, and his friends.
Sukh Mandir
SukhNiwaas or SukhMandir is a hall made with sandalwood and ivory. It is located right opposite to the Hall of public audience. There is a small channel that runs through it that carries cold water. This is an ancient method of keeping the place cool. Though the term ‘Mandir’ is used in the name, this is not a temple. It is a hall where kings and queens relax. The name can be translated as residence of pleasure.
Sheesh Mahal
Sheesh Mahal or the Mirror Palace is the most beautiful part of this fort. This palace has been shown in many local movies. The walls and the ceilings in this palace are carved with beautiful flowers and other paintings made with glass. A queen of the fort used to love sleeping under the stars. It is said that ancient custom of the land did not allow women to sleep in open air. King called upon the finest architects in the region to solve the problem. Thus, the mirror palace was built. It is said that if two candles are lit in the palace, it would look like thousands of stars glittering in the ceiling.
Kesar Kyaari
Mughal Gardens have a beauty that cannot be tallied by simple gardens that you see around the country. This part is located on Maota Lake. This garden is located in front of the fort. The garden is formed in a star shape. It is said that saffron flowers were planted in the garden. Now, climatic conditions do not allow saffron plant to thrive in Jaipur. You can find beautiful flowering plants in the garden now.
Light Show
The light show takes place every evening. The show focuses on the history of Jaipur and the fort. It shows ancient anecdotes of the place, sovereigns and others. The show runs for 50 minutes and is run in both Hindi and English.
Explore the architectural beauty of Amer Fort with this special itinerary of 4 Days Delhi Agra Jaipur Tour. This itinerary is specially designed to explore the historical city with beautiful Taj.
Other Attractions
Suraj Pol is the entrance gate of the fort which is decorated in a traditional way, by walking through this gate we will reach Jaleb Chowk, this is a chowk where army people were welcomed when they came back from border. Beyond this chowk lies a maze of palaces, gardens and temples. One of the temple is of Shila Mata, which is dedicated to Goddess Kali and this temple was built in 16th century. There is Diwan-i-Am hall where Maharajas used to conduct the Darbars.
On the entrance of the next section Ganesh Pol is situated . The gate in itself has a lot of importance as through this gate queens or ladies used to welcome the battle – won kings with scented water as well as through flowers. The gate is surrounded by a Mughal style garden and looks a glimpse of royalty. To preserve this garden entrance to this garden is restricted which helped to a very large extent to maintain its royalty.
The most beautiful structure in the Amber Fort is Jai Mandir .It is double floored and covered with white marble pavilion which overlooks the third courtyard garden , The Aram Bagh.
There is one another hall known as Hall of Private Audience or Jas Mahal which is just above the Sheesh Mahal. It is featured with fabulous alabaster work, extra ordinary floral glass inlay designs, and smooth marble lattices. Many chambers, rooms and galleries are also there which were once used by princes and other royalty. A museum, garden and Maota Lake below the fort are other pieces of interest at Amber Fort.
Char Bagh garden lies beyond this, which has lais out in four-quartered style favored by the Mughals. In Char garden we can enjoy panoramic views of the Pink City. Sukh Mahal is situated across this which includes cooling system apart from beautifully designed. Like the Gunijan Khana in the past by which kings ued to enjoy, a ‘Mehfil’ similar to that is there for the entertainment of tourists. Classical dance take place every evening,and the tickets for this concert can be bought from Amer fort ticket window.
Surabhi restaurant is there where different cuisines are served which include Indian, Chinese , Rajasthani and European.Freshly baked Indian bread tandoor food is also made in clay oven which are available. We can enjoy a lot at dinner time as well, such as a puppet show, and songs are sung by Rajasthani bhopas .
World largest collection of turbans is also there in the Turban Museum, there is no fee for this museum. At the foothills of the palace lies the old township of Amber. Jagat Siromani temples, Narsingh temple, Panna Mian ki Baodi are some of the places of interest. The cobbled streets and the ruins of old havelies give the place an old world.
Zenana quarters are the Royal family women quarters which were residence of ladies of royal house.from the Tripolia gate these quarters are accessible. Tripolia gate is a third courtyard which means three gates. It opens in three different directions. One gate is towards the Zenana quarters. Second gate opens at the Jaleb Chowk, and the third gate opens to Man Singh Palace.
Apart from this, there is also a premier gate which is known as Lion Gate. It is a guarded gate and opens to the private quarters in the palace courtyard.
History Of The Fort
Amer was once known as Dhundar and was ruled by the Kachhwahas from the 11th to the 16th century, until the capital was moved from here to Jaipur. Raja Man Singh built this fort in 1592 AD and Raja Jai Sigh I expanded and renovated it later. While many such old structures have been either destroyed or replaced by other things, this fort has stood against all the tests of time and invasions.
Availability of Guides
Guides are available for a fee. You can choose either English or Hindi speaking guide as per your choice.
Best Time to Visit
Rajasthan being a desert is warm throughout the year at least during the day. Sometimes the sun can be unbearable. That is why, it is best to visit Jaipur during winter, from November to March.
Timings and Entry Fees
Visiting Hours : 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Contact No : 0141 253 0293
Entry Fee (In Indian Rupees):
Indian : Rs. 25.00 Student : 10
Foreigner : Rs. 550.00 Student : 100
Light Shows Timing (Onwords)
In English : 7.30 pm
Entry Fee : Rs. 200.00
In Hindi : 8:00 PM
Entry Fee : Rs. 100.00
Elephant Ride at Amber Palace for two persons Rs. 1100/-, Timings – 7:30 am to 12:30 pm
Light show is the most important thing which one should not miss while visiting this fort. This lightening takes place every evening between 6:30pm to 7:30 pm. The photography charges are Rs 100 for Indian and Rs. 200 for foreigners. This symphony of lights illuminates the entire Amber Fort. This show highlights the historical background of Jaipur and it seems to be an educative dose. It shows its sovereigns, monuments and ancient anecdotes of Jaipur. The show is of 50 minutes and shows us the real royal journey. Many efforts are taken up to prepare this show. Architecture of the fort is also very impressive which is illuminated at night as we can also watch the show from the bottom of the hill.
Nearby Accommodations
1. K K Royal Days : it is a 4 star hotel and is located few kilometres away from Amber Fort. It offers unique combination of ethnic traditional and ultra modern facilities. There are 66 rooms in the hotel. Round the Clock coffee shop serves snacks and beverages. Other hotel facilities include a conference and a banquet hall, a gymnasium, a swimming pool and a lounge with a library. The guests can avail of the conference room and the banquet hall, which are ideal for conducting meetings and parties respectively.
2. Trident hotel– Trident reflects the traditional Rajasthani architecture and it has 135 rooms that offers the sight seeing of the Mansagar Lake and the Aravalli ranges. A swimming pool, a fitness centre and a nearby golf course are all available for recreation. Kids Club, a play area with toys and variety of games, and baby sitter service is also there. A well-equipped conference room that can hold up to 80 people is ideal for holding meetings.
3. The Gold Palace & Resorts- This hotel is located in Jaipur (Mansagar Lake), close to Jal Mahal, Amber Fort, and Jaigarh Fort. Also nearby are Gaitor and Amber Palace. it comprises of three restaurants and it also features an outdoor pool. LCD televisions with digital channels are there. Guestrooms are featured with refrigerators, air conditioning, and safes.
4. Hotel Malak Mahal Palace: This hotel is located in Jaipur (Mansagar Lake), close to Jal Mahal, Amber Fort, and Gaitor. Local attractions also include Nahargarh Fort and City Palace. In addition to a restaurant, Hotel Malak Mahal Palace contains 24-hour room service. Other amenities include an Internet service and tour/ticket assistance. Guestrooms have air conditioning, minibars, Internet access, and phones.
5. Holiday Inn Jaipur: it is Located on Amer Road and it is a5 Star hotel. It is built on traditional Rajasthani-style of architecture. It overlooks the magnificent Aravali Ranges. It contains 72 well furnished rooms. International and Indian cuisine are available. Coffee shop complemented with puppet shows. There is also a bar to liven and revitalize tired spirits. There is also an outdoor village restaurant, with an authentic Indian rural backdrop with folk dancers, fortune – teller and fire eater performances, and serves mouth-watering traditional fare.
6. Hotel Glitz: it contains 35 well furnished rooms equipped with most of the basic modern amenities. Traditional folk dances, puppet and cultural shows are also arranged by the hotel to explore the rich Rajasthani culture. Other services are provided are like day laundry, currency exchange counter, ample car parking, a travel desk and more. Hotel also makes Spa and salon arrangements.
7. Mahar Haveli Bed & Breakfast: 18 rooms are there in the hotel which are spread over the 2 floors. Provide services like home and modern comforts such as balcony/terrace, mini bar, refrigerator, internet services. One can easily relax after a busy day. This hotel is a good choice for travelers to Jaipur. It offers a relaxed and hassle-free day.
8. Hotel Royal Sheraton: Hotel Royal Sheraton is located near to the Hawa Mahal . Maintain 20 well furnished rooms. Also has bar in hotel so that guests can easily chill out, which is open from 10a.m to 10p.m. Conference and banquet facilities are also provided by the hotel. There is also free parking space within the hotel premises.
How to Reach
Amber was the capital of the Kachhawaha clan preceding Jaipur. It is placed at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur city. This fort was built by Raja Man Singh I. built in the year 1952, this hall highlights the wonderful carvings and minute mirror work. The Amber Fort has several halls and pavilions with their own specific alluring attractions. The best part of this Fort for tourist attraction is that it is located on a crafty hill and the royal elephant ride. Amer Fort is the part of traditional Jaipur and its royalty. Without a visit to Amber Fort, a trip to Jaipur would be definitely incomplete.
Amber was originally built by the Meenas. Amer is located at a very high hill which makes this fort hard to access via foot but to help the tourists there are various transportation facilities provided at Amer fort.
The major segmentation of the fort comprises ladies apartment, army area, courtyard, temple and palace. An stunning building in white marble and sandstone, some rooms are covered with thousands of tiny mirrors and coloured glasses. An intricate artwork, a hallmark of Indian Palaces.
To reach Amber Fort from anywhere in Jaipur you can hire a taxi or a car. This will your journey more convenient. The public bus to Amber starts at Ajmeri Gate and MI Road which will take around twenty minutes to reach to Amber Fort.
The most exciting part of the Amer fort visit is to go on the top of the hill by the elephant ride , which is accessible for the visitors. Riding an elephant uphill seems a cliche for tourists. But it really helps feeling the ambience and plunging deeper in India. The elephant ride offers a skyline view of the Pink city and a mesmerizing sight over Maotha Lake. We can choose a guide to assist, or an audio guide is even a good option which is available at the doorstep of the fort. To make your trip more spectacular and memorable one, elephant safari will be the best and it provides a royal feeling as well.
It will take around 15-20 minutes if we prefer to go on foot rather than hiring an elephant.If you hire a guide then it will be much better as he will show you around the fort, as there are many interesting places here which can be easily missed. They will give you a quick tour around the Fort, and you most likely wants to walk around for a while longer by yourself. The shade of the fort transforms seemingly as the sun sets. In the night as well the fort comes alive with adorable decorative lights. It is built over the remaining of traditional structure.
Things to do or do Not at Amber Fort
To Do
- Elephant ride around the fort is a very important activity. The elephant ride ends by afternoon. So, plan ahead.
- You can also opt for four-wheel drive tour to and fro which includes one hour waiting time. It costs around 300 rupees.
- Light show at night
- Watching the illuminated fort from the bottom of the hill in the evening
- Visit to the museum and garden inside the fort
- Panoramic view from Char garden. You can view the whole city from here.
- Classical dance program that happens in the evening in Sukh Mahal. Tickets will be available in the ticket counter.
- Enjoying a meal at Surabhi restaurant inside the fort which serves various cuisines
- Enjoying puppet shows and traditional songs. These are available during dinner time.
- Turban museum is free to enter in the fort. You can find a large collection of turbans here.
- Apart from Siladevi temple, you can find a lot of temples in the palace along with old havelies.
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