City Palace, Udaipur

Palace Of The Mewar Dynasty; The Largest Palace Complex In Rajasthan · Udaipur, Rajasthan

The palace of the Mewar maharanas on the east shore of Lake Pichola, begun in 1559 when Udaipur was founded and extended by successive rulers over four centuries into the largest palace complex in Rajasthan, a long white facade of balconies, towers and cupolas rising straight out of the water. Most of it is now a museum run by the former royal family's trust. Inside is a maze of courtyards, narrow stairs and rooms: the Mor Chowk, whose walls are set with glass-mosaic peacocks, the mirrored Sheesh Mahal, the zenana apartments of the royal women, rooms of miniature paintings and courtyards with views across the lake to the Lake Palace and Jag Mandir. The Fateh Prakash wing holds the Crystal Gallery, a collection of crystal furniture ordered from England in the nineteenth century and left in its boxes for decades; it has its own ticket. Two wings of the complex are heritage hotels, and the family still lives in part of it. The boat jetty for Lake Pichola is inside the grounds. It is busiest by late morning, so arrive at opening.

City Palace Complex, Old City, Udaipur, Rajasthan, 313001, India

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED; confirm before planning. The usual pattern: the palace museum is open daily, roughly from 9 am to 5 pm or so, with last entry about an hour before closing, and it has not had a regular weekly closure. Boats run through the day, with the sunset departures the first to sell out. The sound and light show is in the evening, with Hindi and English shows at different times. Holi and some royal family events can change access. Arriving after 11 am in season means queues on the stairs.

City Palace, Udaipur on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos