Udaipur City Palace

The City Palace of Udaipur stretches along the eastern shore of Lake Pichola and is the largest royal palace complex in Rajasthan. Construction was started by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559 (the same year he founded Udaipur) and continued under 23 successive Maharanas of the Sisodia dynasty over the next 400 years — the result is 11 separate palaces sharing courtyards, balconies, and connecting corridors, all in a unified Mewar style of cream-coloured granite, marble inlay, and cusped arches. The present complex contains a museum (open to the public), the Shiv Niwas Palace heritage hotel, and parts that remain the private residence of the current Mewar royal family. The Crystal Gallery, the Dilkhush Mahal, the Mor Chowk (Peacock Square), and the Manak Mahal are the museum highlights. The Lake Palace (Jag Niwas) and Jagmandir Palace, both island palaces in Lake Pichola, are connected to the complex by ferry.