City Palace Udaipur

Originally built by Maharana Udai Singh of the Sisodia Rajput clan, the resplendent city palace of Udaipur was developed and extended to its present form by subsequent Maharanas. This gorgeous palace stands white and majestic set on a hill. The palace is overwhelmed with balconies, towers and cupolas and there are fine views over the lake and the city from the upper terraces. It is surrounded by walls for battlements, at the entrance is a triple arched gate, called the Tripolia which was built in 1725.

A blend of Medieval European and Chinese architecture, the palace complex has a number of remarkable buildings of immense beauty, gardens and fountains, well planned and finely executed over the years. The interiors of City Palace, Udaipur represents an ethereal and graceful beauty due to the lavish use of marble, mirror work, frescoes, wall paintings, a profusion of colored glass, fluted columns, inlay work, silver doors, fountains and gardens. It was once a custom for Maharanas to be weighed under the gate and their weight in gold or silver distributed to the populace.

Unique Beauty
There are many relics and decorative items in the City Palace, which is now mostly a museum. Manicured gardens are surrounded by carved marble arches. There are beautiful examples of old porcelain, glass and tiles as well as this wonderful mosaic of silver leaves and precious stones that reflect images of the lake when looked at from the right angle.

Framework of City Palace
The City Palace consists of four main and several minor palaces. Part of the complex is a Hawa Mahal. The Palace of Joy, Dilkhusha Mahal, is decorated with frescoes and wall paintings. Moti Mahal, or Palace of Pearls, Sheesh Mahal, or the palace of mirrors and glass, and Krishna Mahal are lavishly decorated with colors and paintings. Mor Chowk is known for its unique peacock motif in mosaic. Bada Mahal, the garden palace, is built on a 90 feet high natural rock formation. The Chini chitrashala houses a rich collection of Chinese porcelain and Laxmi Vilas Chowk is an art gallery, which houses a distinctive collection of Mewar paintings. The Amar Vilas, the highest point with its hanging gardens, towers and terraces, presents a majestic and panoramic view of the town and Lake Pichola.