Jaipur Attractions

Known as the “Pink City”, the capital of Rajasthan state, Jaipur is one of the "Golden Triangle" tourist cities in North India, blessed with a lot of splendid architecture with pink walls, roofs and even windows. Jaipur attractions offer visitors numerous surprises - resplendent forts, palaces, temples, museums; colorful bazaars; natural wildlife parks and UNESCO World Heritage sites like Amer Fort and Jantar Mantar. Usually, tourists are recommended to spend 2 days in tracing Jaipur’s nearly 300-year-old ancient and profound cultural imprints.

Top Attractions

1. Amer Fort

Sitting quietly on the top of lush Kalikho hills and flaunted by Sagar Lake and Maotha Lake, Amer Fort, aka Amber Fort, is a capacious palace complex, built with white marble and pink and yellow sandstones. It takes two centuries for Amer Fort to be constructed from 1558 to 1727. The Sheesh Mahal is an example of magnificent building with stupendous arrangements of mirrors in Amer Fort. Sound & Light Show, a highlight of Amer Fort night tour, is themed on local folklore, myths, and tales about the fort. Riding an elephant to climb up the stairs to the fort is another popular activity, especially favored by children. Amer Fort was rightfully recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 2013 as part of the “Hillforts of Rajasthan”.

2. Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds, is a pink-colored sandstone palace with five storeys interspersed with more than 950 windows that allow cool wind to enter and then keep the palace comfortable during the hot summer months. However, the major reason why building Hawa Mahal this way was to allow the royal women to watch the celebrations on the streets without being seen from the outside. It was a local custom. Resembling a crown, the palace has arched awnings, scalloped walkways, and each stone and grooved pillar is carved with intricate floral patterns. Inside the Palace of Winds, there is a small museum telling the past with swords, paintings, ceremonial armors and other relics.

3. City Palace

Located in the old part of the city, City Palace constructed in 1728 is one of the most well preserved monuments in India. It consists of a series of gardens, courtyards and palaces, including the Chandra Mahal and the Diwan-e-Khas. Chandra Mahal is a mixture of Mughal and Rajput architecture, divided into seven floors. Most of the palace is resided by the royal families and the ground floor has been made into a museum displaying royal artifacts, manuscripts and other daily items. Diwan-e-Khas is a place of splendor and magnificence which has now been converted into an art gallery with exhibitions of miniature paintings, ancient texts, embroidered rugs, Kashmir shawls, and carpets.

4. Nahargarh Fort

Nahargarh Fort, also known as “Tiger Fort”, is an architectural wonder with Indo-European style, built by Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh II in 1734 as a retreat and expanded in the year 1868. Nahargarh Fort stands on the hills to the north of Jaipur old town, offering a mesmerizing view of the whole city. It has strong military defense facilities, which resisted the attacks of foreign invaders many times. Some of the best attractions in Nahargarh Fort are Madhavendra Palace that houses beautiful artworks and sculptures; Open Theatre that shows documentary films based on the history of the fort and the royal family; and Biological Park that is a sanctuary for majestic animals including tigers, leopards and lions.

5. Jantar Mantar Observatory

Jaipur’s Jantar Mantar Observatory, one of the largest observatories in the world, was built under the reign of Sawai Jai Singh II and completed in 1734. It is a set of 19 instruments for observing the celestial movements. They can accurately predict Earth’s orbit around the Sun, eclipses and other astronomical activities. This observatory demonstrates Indian's knowledge of the universe and the ability to explore astronomy at the end of the Mughal era. Samrat Yantra of Jantar Mantar is the world’s largest stone sundial with the height of 22.6 meters (74 feet) and allows one to observe celestial positions with the naked eye. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Jantar Mantar Observatory is the most comprehensive and well-preserved ancient observatory.

Read more about Top 10 Things to Do in Jaipur

More Tourist Attractions in Jaipur

1. Albert Hall Museum, the oldest museum of Rajasthan State, showcases a rich collection of artifacts, including paintings, ceramics, textile, pottery, models, carpets, ivory items, stone and metal sculptures, jewelry, musical instruments, and coins from the glorious Gupta, Kushan, Mughal and British ruled time.

2. Bapu Bazaar is shoppers’ favorite in Jaipur, not only for the quality stuff and huge variety, but also for the awesome evening walk.

3. Birla Mandir, nestled among lush green trees at the Aravalli foothills, is built with serene white marble and is home to the principal deity of Hinduism Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi.

4. Jaigarh Fort is one of Jaipur’s oldest forts perched on the hills of the Aravalli range. It was built to protect Amer Fort and its palace complex.

5. Jal Mahal is a marvelous combination of Mughal and Rajput architecture, which stands right in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake. Built in yellow sandstone, the palace has five storeys, four of which remain submerged in the water.

6. Monkey Temple, aka Galtaji Temple, is a holy pilgrimage site for Hindus. Built with pink sandstone, the temple follows the style and features of palace architecture instead of a temple.

7. Moti Dungri is the hilltop palatial residence of the royals spreading for over two kilometers. Appearing like Scottish Castle, both the palace and the Ganesha Temple inside are a piece of architectural art.

8. Panna Meena Ka Kund is an ancient stepwell that was established in the 16th century during the reign of Maharaja Jai Singh. It was created to collect and preserve monsoon rainwater for dry months.

9. Sariska Tiger Reserve is a well-known wildlife refuge located in Alwar district, 120 km (74.5 mi) from Jaipur. It is home to Bengal tigers, leopard, crocodiles, antelopes, deer, wild boar, different species of rare birds and lots of peacocks, etc.

10. Sisodiya Rani Bagh was constructed in 1728 at the command of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II as a gift and an expression of his love for his second wife, who was the princess of Udaipur.