City Palace Udaipur Timings, Entry Ticket, Online Ticket Booking, How to Reach Guide,Tour

City Palace Udaipur, City Palace Timings, City Palace Entry Ticket, City Palace Online Ticket Booking, How to Reach City Palace, City Palace Accommodation. City Palace Guide, City Palace Tour, City Palace Night Tour, About City Palace. What to do and don not at City Palace. 

About City Palace

One of the biggest palaces in Rajasthan, the City Palace is a beautiful and grand building in Udaipur. Built back in 1559 by Maharana Udai Singh, the City Palace is set on the banks of Pichola Lake. The palace has a number of gateways. The main entrance of the palace is Bara Pol or the Great Gate. Another gate is the triple arched gate which is called Tripolia. There is a field next to Tripolia where elephant fights used to take place. One can find eight marble arches in the middle of these two gates.

A palace of palaces “The City Palace of Udaipur” is located on the bank of beautiful Lake Pichola in Udaipur. The development of City Palace Udaipur is credited to several kings of Rajput dynasty, starting from Maharaja Udai Singh, and way back in 1559. The Udaipur City Palace incorporates many other royal palaces within its premises. Hence called “A palace of palaces”, the City Palace itself, is built in the Ornamental style and is the largest one of its type in Rajasthan. The City Palace Udaipur is built on a hilltop and hence produces a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. A fusion of Rajputana and Mughal architecture styles, displaying the royal grandeur of ancient Indian Kingdoms, the Udaipur City palace is a architectural masterpiece, to be visited and explored in your holidays.

Udaipur City Palace is one of the architectural marvels of Rajasthan, located peacefully on the banks of Lake Pichola. This majestic City Palace is the most-visited tourist attraction of Udaipur and often distinguished as the largest palace complex in Rajasthan. Initially, Maharana Udai Singh built this superb wonder, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions by his successors.

City Palace boasts of the wonderful blend of Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture. The Palace has various towers, domes and arches, which add to the flavor of heritage site. Towering on the banks of Pichola Lake, City Palace is truly a feast to the eyes. City Palace is a marvelous assortment of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. Encircled by fortifications, this imposing Palace is wholly built in granite and marble.

City Palace has several gates that are known as “Pols”. ‘Bara Pol’ (Great Gate) is the main gate to the City Palace complex that will take you to the first courtyard. On passing ‘Bara Pol’, you will come across a triple arched gate, which is known as ‘Tripolia’. Between these two gates, you would see eight marble arches or Toranas, where Kings used to weigh themselves with gold and silver. Besides Tripolia, there is an arena where elephant fights were staged. Across ‘Tripolia’, you would enter the ‘Elephant Gate’ or the ‘Hathi Pol’.

City Palace comprises 11 wonderful palaces, which were built by different rulers still they resemble each other. With the sheer glimpse of unique paintings, antique furniture and exquisite glass mirror & ornamental tiles work of these palaces, you will get amazed. Manak Mahal (Ruby Palace) has figures of crystal and porcelain. However, Bhim Vilas flaunts a fabulous collection of miniature paintings depicting the real life stories of Radha-Krishna.

History

The history of the palace is tied to that of the Mewar kingdom, which had reached its heights near the territory of Nagda. The kingdom’s founder was Guhil, who established the Maharana dominance in the year 568 AD. Subsequently, his successor Maharana Uday Singh II inherited the Mewar kingdom at Chittor in 1537, but the threat of losing control of the kingdom to the Mughals compelled him to move the capital to a region near Lake Pichola. Flanked by forests, lakes and the mighty Aravalli Hills, the new city of Udaipur was safe from invaders and went on to build the palace on the advice of a hermit.

The first structure to be built here was the ‘Rai Angan’, from where on the construction of the complex was taken up with full vigour and finally completed in the year 1559. However, many changes were made to the then existing structure, which were spread over a period of 400 years. Rulers such as Udai Singh II added a few structures here, including 11 small separate palaces. Upon the Maharaja’s death, his son Maharana Pratap succeeded him but was unfortunately defeated by Akbar at the Battle of Haldighati. Udaipur was overtaken by the Mughals but was returned to Maharana Pratap’s son after Akbar’s death. The increasing offences by the Marathas forced Maharana Bhim Singh to sign a treaty with the British, accepting their protection. The palace was under their control until Indian independence in 1947 and the Mewar Kingdom was merged with democratic India in 1949.

Interesting Facts about City Palace

• The rulers of the Mewar dynasty in Udaipur, over the course of 400 years, built the sprawling and beautiful attraction that is the City Palace, started by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia Rajput family.
• Maharana Udai Singh shifted his seat of power from Chittorgarh to the City Palace in Udaipur due to various subsequent wars with the Mughals
• Parts of the palace complex have been converted into luxury hotels, which make the City Palace even more famous.
• The Fateprakash Palace and the Shiv Niwas Palace have now been converted into heritage hotels, which retain the previous royal architecture.
• The Amar Vilas consists of an elevated garden, and it is the highest point of the City Palace, adorned with hanging gardens, terraces and fountains.
• There is an art gallery known as the Chini Chitrashala that display the Chinese and Dutch tiles and arts.

Entry Ticket

Things to Watch in City Palace

1. Gateways: The palace has a number of entrances, starting with the ‘Bari Pol’ towards the left, ‘Tripolia’, which is a triple arched gate built in 1725, to the centre and ‘Hathi Pol’ to the right. The main entrance to the palace is through the Bara Pol which welcomes you into the first courtyard. This is the place where the Maharanas used to be weighed with gold and silver and the jewels were distributed among the poor. Marble arches have been constructed here as well, and is called the Toran Pol.
2. Amar Vilas: The Amar Vilas is an elevated garden area which has a wonderful hanging garden richly decorated with fountains, towers, terraces and a square marble tub. Built on the highest level of the palace, this was where the royals spent their leisure time. Amar Vilas also gives way to the Badi Mahal.
3. Badi Mahal: Also known as the Garden Palace, this edifice is propped on a natural rock formation which is 27 metres high. A swimming pool is also situated here which was used during the celebration of Holi. A hall here houses miniature paintings of 18th and 19th centuries, wall paintings of Jag Mandir and Vishnu of Jagdish temple.
4. Fateprakash Palace: The Fateprakash palace has now been converted into a hotel. Rare items such as crystal chairs, dressing tables, sofas, tables, chairs and beds, crockery, table fountains and jewel studded carpet are present here. Incidentally, these have never been used as Maharana Sajjan Singh had ordered these rare items in 1877 but he died before they arrived here.
5. Durbar hall: The Darbar Hall is a relatively newer addition and was built in 1909 as a venue for official functions in the Fateprakash Palace itself. The hall is embellished with scintillating chandeliers and has a display of Maharana’ portraits and weapons
6. Bhim Vilas: This is another gallery which has a vast collection of paintings depicting Radha and Krishna.
7. Chini Chitrashala: A distinctive attraction here is the Chini Chitrashala, which has a collection of beautiful Chinese and Dutch tiles.
8. Choti Chitrashali: A gallery dedicated to pictures of peacocks.
9. Krishna Vilas: This chamber also has an elaborate collection of miniature paintings
10. Manak Mahal: This was a hall for formal audiences for the Mewar rulers. It has a raised niched which is completely covered with mirrors from the inside. Motifs such as sun-face emblems can be seen here. The largest of such an emblem is also seen on the wall of the Surya Chopar, a reception centre at the lower level.
11. Mor Chowk: This chamber is an integral part of the inner areas of the palace, and has a detailed illustration of three peacocks which represent the seasons of summer, winter and monsoon. The peacocks have been designed with 5000 pieces of glass, which shine in green, gold and blue colours. At the upper level, there is a projecting balcony, which is flanked by inserts of coloured glass. Adjacent to this chamber is the Kanch-ki-Burj, which has a collection of mirror mosaics adorning the walls. The Badi Charur Chowk within this chowk is a smaller court for private use.
12. Rang Bhawan: This was initially the royal treasury and now houses temples of Lord Krishna, Meera Bai and Shiva located here.[6]
13. Sheesh Mahal: Also known as the Palace of Mirrors, it was built in 1716 by Maharana Pratap for his wife Maharani Ajabde.
14. Museum: The ladies chamber or ‘Zenana Mahal’ here has been converted into a museum open for the public.

Guides

A Hindi-speaking guide will charge Rs.300 at the City Palace complex.
Guides at the museum charge Rs.200, and audio guides are also available.

Best time to visit

Morning and evening hours are cooler and less crowded. Winter months from October to March are preferable to visit City Palace.

How to Reach

The City Palace is a popular tourist spot and is well connected by a network of by unmetered taxis, auto rickshaws, tongas and city bus service. Ferry rides from City Palace to Jagmandir are available as well and cost INR 400 per person.

Accommodation

You can find comfortable accommodation at Hotel Ishwar Palace, Hotel Udaigarh, Hotel Chandra Prakash, Hotel Raj Palace and Fateh Prakash Palace. You can also treat yourself to an indulgent hotel experience at the Oberoi Udaivilas or Taj Lake Palace.