City Palace -
City Palace boasts of the wonderful blend of Medieval, European and Chinese Architecture. The Palace has various towers, domes and arches, which add to the flavor of heritage site. Towering on the banks of Pichola Lake, City Palace is truly a feast to the eyes. The Palace is a marvelous assortment of courtyards, pavilions, terraces, corridors, rooms and hanging gardens. Encircled by fortifications, this imposing Palace is wholly built in granite and marble.
Maharana Udai Singh built this superb wonder in 1559, but the present form of the Palace is the result of subsequent additions by his successors.
City Palace comprises 11 wonderful palaces, which were built by different rulers still they resemble each other. With the sheer glimpse of unique paintings, antique furniture and exquisite glass mirror & ornamental tiles work of these palaces, you will get amazed. Manak Mahal (Ruby Palace) has figures of crystal and porcelain. However, Bhim Vilas flaunts a fabulous collection of miniature paintings depicting the real life stories of Radha-Krishna.
'Amar Vilas' is the highest point of this Palace and has wonderful hanging gardens with fountains, towers and terraces. City Palace is structured in a way that it offers a splendid view of the lake from all its Balconies, cupolas and towers. Unlike the craggy exterior, City Palace has amazing interiors with delicate mirror-work, marble work, murals, wall paintings, silver work, inlay work and surplus of colored glass. The exquisite work of City Palace cannot be bounded in words, so one must visit this palace to capture the real picture of it.
Lake Palace -
Lake Palace is a luxury hotel located on the island of Jag Niwas in Lake Pichola. The hotel operates a speed boat which transports guests to the hotel from a jetty at the City Palace. It has been voted as the most romantic hotel in India and in the world.
The Lake Palace was built between 1743 and 1746, under the direction of the Maharana Jagat Singh II of Udaipur, as a winter palace. It was initially called Jagniwas or Jan Niwas after its founder.
The palace was constructed facing east, allowing its inhabitants to pray to Surya, the Hindu sun god, at the crack of dawn. The successive rulers used this palace as their summer resort, holding their regal durbars in its courtyards lined with columns, pillared terraces, fountains and gardens.
Bhagwat Singh decided to convert the Jag Niwas Palace into Udaipur's first luxury hotel. In 1971, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces took over management of the hotel.
Lake Palace is one of the many luxury and exclusive (only guests staying in the hotel or guests who are dining at the hotel’s restaurant can stop here) hotels in Udaipur and has served as a filming location for one of James Bond’s famous movies, 1983 Octopussy.
Coordinates: N 24° 34.546 E 073° 40.785
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