CITY PALACE

We recommend coming early in the morning to avoid the crowds. Expect to go up and down many steps and navigate the busy narrow corridors. Allow at least two hours for the tour. Access is through the northern gate, Tripoliya Pol.

It is the largest palace in Rajasthan. Its austere and imposing facade of 244 meters long and 30 meters high overhangs the lake Pichola. The ensemble forms a juxtaposition of buildings constructed by successive kings. The first construction dates from the ^16th century, during the reign of Udai Singh II, the founder of the city. Made of granite and marble, the building forms a real maze of rooms, staircases, courtyards, gardens and kiosks. It is topped by domes, turrets and battlements.

The house is sumptuous and beautifully decorated. You can admire beautiful stone bas-reliefs in the courtyard and under a small porch. The visit begins with a collection of weapons and a gallery of portraits relating the feats of arms of the Maharanas. The family tree of the rulers of Udaipur traces them back to the sun and the god Ram. The court, Rai Angan, would be the precise place where Udai Singh would have met the sage who would have recommended to him to build his new empire here.

The Nav Chowki Mahal is a small temple where tourists throw coins at the foot of the deity. In the shaded inner courtyard, you can take a break and admire the old carrier pigeon cages and the 104 carved pillars of the Bali Mahal. The visit continues pleasantly in the colorful rooms tracing the history and life of the various occupants of the palace. You reach the famous room of the palace with a thousand colored mirrors: Kanch Ki Burj. Dutch earthenware decorates some walls, then you reach a surprising room, perhaps even the most precious of the palace: completely covered with miniatures painted al fresco. You can admire ancient ivory doors near the Moti Mahal, a small room with colorful stained glass windows, a cradle decorated with mirrors and a beautiful collection of engravings. The museum is famous for its collection of miniatures. The long gallery at the southern end of the palace was the Zenana, or women's quarters. Its austere rooms now house a collection of paintings of hunting scenes. Outside, in the central courtyard, the Laxmi Chowk, you will see a fine collection of howdas (elephant saddles), palanquins and sedan chairs.