Umaid Bhawan Palace

LocationJodhpur, Rajasthan
Built By: Maharaja Umaid Singh
Attractions :One of the world's largest private residences.
Best Time to Visit: October to March
Timings: 08:30 A.M. To 05:30 P.M.
Entry Fee: For the Museum - For Indians Rs. 10, For Foreigners Rs. 50
How to Reach Amber Fort: You can hire local means of transport like local buses, tongas, auto-rickshaws and taxis to reach the palace.

Introduction
Apart from Mehrangarh fort, one more attraction lies in the lap of Jodhpur - Umaid Bhawan Palace. Turned into a museum and a luxury heritage hotel, the palace has enjoyed the status of being one of the largest private residences in the world. During its construction times it was called Chittar Palace, because it was located in the Chittar hills, the highest point in Jodhpur.

The enormous palace houses 347 rooms as the main residence for the royal family of Jodhpur where Gaj Singh, grandson of Umaid Singh still reside in the palace. The palace has been conceptualized as a drought relief measure that provided employment to the people after drought. Later in 1972 the palace was converted into a hotel and opened for the general public. Visitors here enjoy seeing the varied facets of royal living.

Architecture
The palace is said to be built by as many as 3000 artisans who worked over 14 years. The palace is constructed of one million square feet of the finest marble. The magnificent edifice is built in pink sandstone following the Art Deco style further enhanced by the exotic murals. This fusion of eastern and western architectural impacts was designed by the well known Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester. The renaissance influence is manifested in the 105 feet high copula and the towers of the palace are inspired by the Rajput styled architecture. The pillars provide a breathtaking view when the sun starts handling its reign to the moon. The central dome of the palace is worth seeing for the beautiful centerpiece


Attractions
The private Museum in the palace is one of the attractions in Umaid Bhawan Palace. Not very exhaustive, but a unique set of things, on display for the visitors, is quite interesting. The things on disply for the travelers are arms, furniture, antique clocks and priceless China vases that formed a part of the personal belongings of Maharajas of Jodhpur. Also to be seen are the stuffed animals and the model planes.

Nearby Places

Mehrangarh Fort: The Mehrangarh Fort is one of the most formidable forts in Rajasthan. The panoramic vista sit offers are a pleasure to see. The fort is still run by Maharaja of Jodhpur. The height of the fort is captivating. The pols (gates) of the fort are a saga of victory over the rulers of Jaipur and Bikaner. Jaswant Thada: : The mystical array of domes built in pure white marble is the magical Jaswant Thada. After the commotion of city life, the place offers some recluse. There are three cenotaphs and a crematorium in the memorial.