The city of Jaipur is a magnificent place to be! All adorned with beautiful palaces, grand forts and beautiful gardens; this is indeed a place for a perfect retreat. While a two-day tour to Jaipur is an ideal one, deciding where to go and where to skip can be a bit tricky. Hence, here we have gathered a list of the must-visit tourist attractions and iconic monuments of Jaipur as per the locals and experts.
Monuments of Jaipur
City Palace
The City Palace of Jaipur is no less than a palace of wonderland where the royal family of Jaipur still lives. The palace has a huge complex and oozes luxury, architectural beauty, and heritage of the Rajputana lineage. The giant palace has numerous lush green gardens, audience halls, balconies and a lot more to be seen and explored.
Some of the most iconic structures inside the City Palace are Govind Dev Ji Temple, Sabha Niwas, Sarvato Bhadra, Pritam Nivas Chowk, Chandra Mahal, and Clock Tower. Along with this the royal palace has galleries and museums for painting, photography, textile and armoury.
The magnificent palace was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of the city Jaipur. The palace is built in Rajputana Architecture and there is prominent use of Pink sandstone, White marble, and yellow colour in the monument.
Jantar Mantar
The founder of Jaipur, Maharaja Jai Singh was fond of outer space and astronomy. Hence, to pursue his hobbies of outer space, he commissioned the construction of Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory with 19 pre-modern instruments that still works phenomenally.
The observatory is an example of Ptolemaic positional astronomy and its instruments feature astronomical systems such as Horizon-Zenith local systems, Equatorial systems, and ecliptic systems.
The iconic observatory is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is built near Hawa Mahal and City Palace.
Hawa Mahal
The Hawa Mahal is indeed a uniquely-designed-palace in the Jaipur Old City area. It is a beautiful architectural marvel and gives you insights about the level of detailing used in its construction. The beautiful orange and pink coloured Hawa Mahal had a special purpose behind its construction. It has 953 small windows that enable the royal women of the palace to see the outside celebrations and cultural processions without being seen from outside.
As per traditional Indian rituals, women were supposed to keep a veil on their face and they were restricted to move outdoors. Hence, the fort was designed keeping such factors in mind. Another reason behind its construction was to let the cool air come inside the palace with the Venturi effect.
Hawa Mahal is a popular tourist destination in the city and was built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the grandson of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh who founded the city of Jaipur.
Amer Fort
Amer Fort is a fort that speaks about the might of the kingdoms who once ruled here. The Amer Fort is a gargantuan citadel on the top of Aravalli Hills. The magnificent fort is built with a fusion of Rajputana, and Mughal Architecture.
The fort was built in 1592 by Maharaja Man Singh I in multiple sections where there are numerous structures of significance such as audience hall, courtyard, temples, gardens and more. There are six entry gates to the fort where The Suraj Pol is the prime gate entering to the first courtyard.
If you are on a two or more days trip to Jaipur, keep Amer Fort for the second day. The reason being, it is a little bit far from the city and huge. It will take a considerable amount of time to explore. Keep it for the second day and try to visit in the morning slots to make the maximum of your time.
Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort is another fort on the Aravalli Hills adjoining the Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort. The gigantic fort offers panoramic views of the city that are pleasant to the eyes.
It was originally built for retreat purposes by the King of Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh in 1734. Later it was extended by successive rulers of Jaipur.
The magnificent fort also provided an extra line of defence to Amer Fort from the invasive armies. However, there is no record of the fort being attacked by any forces. You can visit this fort which proceeds towards Amer Fort.
Jaigarh Fort
The Jaigarh Fort is a hill top fort built near the Amer Fort. It is an 11th century-old fort and was commissioned by Mirza Raja Jai Singh in 1726. The fort is built 400m above the Amer Fort and was intended to protect Amer Fort from enemy armies.
The old fort is made of thick walls and is spread 3 kms in length with a width of 1km. The fort is well connected with Amer Fort and offers spectacular views of Amer Fort and Lake Maota.
Albert Hall Museum
Albert Hall Museum is one of the oldest museums in the city and dates back to 1887. It is a beautiful museum and was designed by Samuel Swinton Jacob. In 1976, the Prince of Wales King Edward VII (Albert Edward) laid the founding stone of the museum.
The beautiful museum is designed in Indo-Saracenic architecture and is centrally located in the city. The museum is indeed an interesting one and its artefacts tell you more about the city’s history and stories of kings, wars, invasions and more.
In a nutshell, Albert Hall Museum is an amazing place in Jaipur and is largely visited by locals and foreigners.
Jaipur Old City Streets
When in Jaipur, you just cannot miss the Jaipur Old city! All cladded in a shade of red, orange and pink, it is one of the most fascinating places in Jaipur and also the most picturesque one.
The old city was one of the foremost formations of the city founded by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It was also the first planned city of India. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction and City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantra are all located in Jaipur Old City.
It is recommended to take a stroll by local markets nearby such as Johari Bazaar, Tripoli Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar, and Sireh Deori Bazaar.
Conclusion
Jaipur is amongst the most beautiful cities with a rich history, beautiful monuments, modern infrastructure, and rich cultures. You will have a lovely time here in Jaipur and make sure to visit all these monuments recommended by the locals of Jaipur.
