Umaid Bhawan Palace

This place is listed out as one of the most beautiful palaces in the whole country. The palace has been the home to Rajas and their successors and was initially conceptualized as a means for providing employment to those who were affected by natural calamities in the state. Many dignitaries and celebrities come here to enjoy long vacations.

History

The Umaid Bhawan Palace was designed by the famous Henry Lancaster, the very same architect who created Hindu temples for the British Town hall. Initially the palace was named 'Chittar Palace' since it was being built on the Chittar Hill in Jodhpur. Soon after its construction, the palace became the new Jodhpur symbol and began providing jobs for those affected by drought. The foundation stone for the palace was laid in 1929 by Maharaja Umaid Singh. The palace finally reached its completion in 1945 and was named after the Maharaja himself.

The palace has now been converted into a part ITC hotel and a part museum. Visitors can experience the royal lifestyle.

Architecture

The palace encompasses 26 acres of green lands. The palace itself was built out of fine sandstone of yellow color. The Indo-colonial inspired styles reflect in the palace architecture. The mortar for the place wasn't made use for binding purposes instead the mortar was used to inter-lock the sandstone blocks.

The private residence has 347 rooms. While visiting the Bhawan, one can also see the cupola of 105 feet in height. The Umaid Bhawan palace also has a beautiful Durbar hall with intricate architecture and an indoor pool. There are many famous artworks. There are paintings of Goddesses inside.

Best time to Visit

Usually it best to visit the palace from September to mid-February.

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