City Palace Alwar

At a distance of 3.5 km from Alwar Jn Railway Station, City Palace is situated in the foothills of Aravalli, right below Bala Quila in Alwar. The City Palace was built by Raja Bakhtayar Singh in the year 1793. The building is a perfect blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture. The architecture of the city palace consists of marble pavilions with lotus shaped designs in the large central courtyard. An elevated door shaped pavilion is built within the Vinay Vilas Mahal, which depicts the pride and honor of Rajput kingdoms.

This palace is a two storey building which is now taken up by Government for different offices on the ground floor and the Alwar Government Museum on the floor above. On display in the museum are some ancient Mughal and Rajput painting dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum has a rich collection of some rare and antique Persian, Arabic, Urdu and Sanskrit manuscripts. Amongst these manuscripts, the most prominent ones include Bostan, Waqiat-e-Babri and Gulistan. Other attractions of the museum consist of an array of Indian armory weapons and a copy of Mahabharata, painted by Alwar artists.

There is an artificial lake within the vicinity of City Palace, which was built by Maharaja Vinay Singh in 1815. There are also a number of temples on the banks of the lake. The striking construction inside the palace is the chhatri (cenotaph) that has a Bengali styled roof and arches. This is known as Moosi Maharani Ki chhatri. Within this chhatri a beautiful garden had been setup. This garden is known as Purjan Vihar. It was built in 1868 by Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh. It was further beautified by Maharaja Mangal Singh in 1885. This garden is an ideal picnic spot in summers providing lush green surrounding & numerous trees.

History of City Palace Alwar

Alwar is one of the oldest cities of Rajasthan and it has always been a favorite place for the archaeologists. The Alwar city is settled in the year past 1500BC. It is also called Matsya Desh as Pandavas had spent thirteen years at this place. Alwar is the best place where you can take a relaxed walk through the many forts and tombs that depict the picture of olden times. Built by Raja Bakhtayar Singh in the year 1793, Vinay Vilas Mahal depicts the architectural beauty of the bygone era.

Architecture of City Palace Alwar

The monument of the Alwar Vinay Vilas Mahal gives you a perfect example of the Indo-Islamic architecture. It is a huge monument, which can be entered through an entrance with projecting balconies on either side. Jai Pol, Suraj Pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol, Kishan Pol and Andheri Gate are some of the entry gates. Beyond the gate lies an open ground with Krishna temples on all four sides. The City Palace, Sagar, which is known as a tank, and Moosi Rani ki Chhatri are located just behind these temples. The splendor palace of the palace is well-known for its beautiful architecture and decoration of the late 18th century.

A part of the complex houses the museum where a rich part of its history has been preserved. In the golden Durbar Hall at the City Palace, there is a raised platform upon which rests a gold and velvet throne. On the walls and ceiling of the palace, there is a fabulous collection of murals and mirror work can be seen. The City Museum, located on the upper floors of the Palace has a splendid range of miniature paintings of the Alwar School. The colors in the paintings are as fresh and lively as ever. In the museum, there is the rare silver table which used to interest the dignity of the Rajera and also the vast collection of the armory is an example of the Royals and the style.

Monuments in Alwar

Monuments in Alwar is a where the journey of the Fairy Queen ends! The oldest working engine in the world and one of India’s national treasure, Fairy Queen leads a train from Delhi encampment to Alwar in Rajasthan. The engine was built in 1855 and acquired by the Eastern Indian Railways from a British firm. The train that harnesses this engine is now used for tourism. The journey of the city of Alwar and its origins can be traced back to 1500 BC. Nestled in the lap of the green hills of the Aravalli range, it is home to beautiful palaces and forts from an era long gone. The deep valleys and thick forest cover of the hills are a haven for many species of birds such as grey partridge and white-throated kingfisher and animals, most notably, the Bengal tiger and golden jackal. It is this splendour and exquisite architecture, along with the calm lakes, royal hunting chalets, dense jungles and a socio-cultural environment unlike any other that makes Alwar a traveller’s delight. Alwar is one of the oldest cities in Rajasthan. Paradoxically, the city is also the most recent of the Rajput kingdoms. Its traditions can be traced back to the realms of Viratnagar that flourished here around 1500 BC. Also known as Matasya Desh, this is where the Pandavas, the mighty heroes of the Mahabharata, spent the last years of their 13-year exile.