Forts of Jaipur. Amber Fort Jaipur - the secret corners of the Jaipur Maharajas From the windows of the gazebos, women had the right to watch the guests of the palace. Behind the beautiful openwork grilles they were not visible from the outside

Amber (or Amer in some sources) - the fortified residence of Raja Man Singh in the suburb of Jaipur of the same name, on the ridge of a rocky hill behind Lake Maota. Despite the formidable appearance, the interior chambers of the fortress amaze with the sophistication of the lush decoration, made simultaneously in Indian and Muslim styles. Amber Fort is deservedly the main attraction of the Indian state of Rajasthan...
You can climb to the fort on elephants, either on foot or by car. Moreover, all three ascent options are 3 different roads, so if you are an athlete who does not like animals, then don’t worry - you won’t have to dodge cars or step over elephant waste products...

View of dashboard elephant driver's turban...


Motorists can ascend to the fortress from reverse side and enter through the entrance previously used for women to enter ( warriors and aunts could not use the same gates). Pedestrians will climb the stairs leading from the Amber Gardens located near Lake Maota ( in winter it dries out a little more than completely). The elephant drivers use the main, once front, road to the palace, so I recommend taking a ride on an elephant...




Man Singh, who began the construction of a fortress-palace here in 1592, was one of the first military leaders of Emperor Akbar the Great, the ruler of the Great Mughals, whose mausoleum I talked about last time. For many years, the administration of the Jundhara principality was carried out from here, and only in the early 1700s the capital of the principality was moved to the newly founded Jaipur, just 11 km from here...


Initially, the fort now known as Amber Fort was just a palace complex, an appendage of the military fortress now known as Jaigarh Fort. Jaigarh and Amber were ( yes to this day) are connected by protected transition walls and underground tunnels...


Between Amber and Jaigarh lies a whole block of ancient houses and buildings, only a small part of which is inhabited. The rest are picturesque ruins scattered on the slopes of the hill...


If you came to Jaipur for more than one day, then you can safely devote a couple of days to a pedestrian exploration of the old walls and towers of the neighboring rocky ridges. The views that you will see from there will be 100% unique, which will not be available to any “organized” tourist. By the way, about the name of the fort, and indeed the city in general - there are at least 2 versions of the origin of the name, which the guides will stuff you with: (1) They will show you in the direction of the town, that somewhere there ( the guide's finger makes a circle covering an area twice as large as the several thousand people of Amber) stood great temple in which there was a statue ( I don't remember who, sorry) from a single piece of amber ( Amber in English is amber, just in case anyone doesn’t know); (2) You will come across a very stupid guide who will say that amber is yellow and the palace is made of yellow sandstone, which is why the type was named amber. You can only believe in these versions if you believe in Santa Claus...


Main entrance to Amber ( in the photo the gate is on the right) - Surajpol takes you to the palace square of Jaleb Chowk. In ancient times, the square was the site of a parade of troops returning victoriously from campaigns and battles. If you nevertheless arrive on an elephant, the driver will lead the elephant almost along the perimeter of the square and, before parking at a special ramp, will definitely tell a heart-warming story about what the animal needs to eat. At the same time, the elephant begins to sniffle and stagger ( because the bastard driver imperceptibly stabs him with a lance), the pale-skinned tourist becomes even pale-skinned, gives the driver a tip and, as if by magic, the elephant calms down and parks at the ramp... But this is not necessary, you don’t have to give anything and let your conscience bite you that the elephant will go to bed hungry...








In theory there should be beautiful lake, washing no less beautiful garden on an artificial island. However, it is now January and everything is dry. And it looks something like this ( photo not mine, opens in a new window) ...


All the ridges of the hills as far as the eye can see are covered with battlements of fortifications and towers...




One of the inner chambers of the palace is called the "Room of a Thousand Mirrors". Its walls and ceiling are lined with mosaics of mirrors. Just one candle was enough to brightly illuminate the entire hall... Also on the photo card you can notice that a white woman with a slightly open back is almost porn for local youth ( and not only young people), they will quietly take pictures on their mobile phones and follow on their heels...










All military power and defensive potential were held, as you already understood, not by Amber Fort, but by Jaigarh. In addition, the treasury of the principality was kept here. I will tell you a little about Jaigarh, I will show you in one of the following stories...




Harem courtyard. Of course, before it was not so dull and scorched by the sun. There were a lot of fabrics used as awnings and walls. Children were playing on the veranda in the middle. The balcony in front on the left is the Shah's room. Small balconies around the perimeter are his wives' apartments. A network of complex passages, corridors and doors along the perimeter of the courtyard allowed the Shah to get to one of his wives without anyone else knowing about it and without them being offended...








To view the fortress from space, click

Elephant ride to Amber Fort

To Amber Fort on elephants

My acquaintance with the sights of Jaipur began from the Amber Fort. It is 11 km from the city, recalls Lyudmila.
Amber Fort is also called the Amer fortress-palace. It used to be the capital of the state of Rajasthan. But since 1727, the state capital was moved to Jaipur.
The excursion began when a guide picked me up in a taxi in the morning, says Lyudmila. Together with two Kyrgyz girls who were already sitting there, we went to the fort.
Just outside the city, the flat terrain gave way to hills with sparse vegetation. We didn’t drive for long, and soon we saw ancient defensive structures. They were located on the hills, and many kilometers of defensive walls with towers wound along the ridges. If I were in China, I would think that in front of me is the famous Chinese Wall.

View of Amber Fort from the town at the foot of the hill

At the very top of a large hill, the Jaigarh fort is firmly entrenched. And on the slope, just below the middle, Fort Amber lies on a plateau, surrounded by powerful amber-colored fortress walls.

Rumor has it that it got its name from a translation into English language words amber. But opponents claim that it was named after the goddess Amer. Be that as it may, the walls of the fort are yellow, and they were built from local sandstone. They are very well reflected in Lake Maota, which is located below. And next to the lake, at the very foot of the hill, nestled an ancient town.

There were three roads leading to Amber Fort: one for pedestrians, another for cars, and the third for elephants. By the way, it was a very convenient idea - no one bothers each other. The road is not difficult, it only takes 10 minutes to climb on foot. But where can we go on foot if we can ride on elephants!

Having stood in line at the ticket office to board such an exotic “taxi,” and having paid 450 rupees, we perched ourselves on a device in the form of a rocking chair on the back of an elephant, and, swaying strongly, slowly set off.

I won't say that it was very nice walk, because of the corresponding smells, because a whole line of painted elephants was rising along the road. But everything is so unusual! I remembered Thailand, where I had my first experience of riding elephants. At the end of the road, at the gate of the fort, an Indian ran up and, with the dexterity of a juggler, placed a turban on our heads, of course not for free, and immediately demanded 100 rupees for the headdress.

Turban worth 100 rupees - an application for an exotic taxi

Amber Fort is divided into 4 parts. Each part has its own gate and its own courtyard.
We entered the fortress through the main gate - Suraj Pol (Sun Gate), and found ourselves in a courtyard with ticket offices and parking for elephants.

Taxi rank in the fortress

Here we dismounted and bought it for 150 rupees entry tickets to the royal chambers (these are the prices for tourists, for locals 25 rupees), we walked through the three-tiered famous Ganesh gate, brightly painted with floral patterns. Previously, only the Raja himself, his family members and servants passed through these gates, but now thousands of tourists come through them.

Just above the entrance of the gate there is a figurine of the elephant-like god Ganesh, because according to legend, it ensures good luck in all matters, eliminating various obstacles. The figurine is made by skilled craftsmen from solid coral.

Outside the gates, the entire palace complex opened up to our eyes. I was simply stunned by the beauty of the palaces that were hidden behind the harsh walls of the formidable fortress. The luxury and grace were amazing. Architectural buildings made of marble and red sand flaunted in mirrors and gilding! The buildings of the palace complex perfectly combined Hindu and Mughal architectural styles. Main palaces:

  • General Audience Hall – Divan-I-Am;
  • private audience hall - Diwan-I-Khas;
  • the hall of victory, or the Palace of Mirrors - Jai Mandir;
  • entertainment hall, or Palace of pleasures - Sukh Niwas.
I was amazed by the beauty of the Palace of Mirrors - Jai Mandir. These are the chambers of the Raja himself.

Mirror Palace

The walls of the palace are decorated with inlaid Indian panels of carved marble depicting flowers and graceful figurines.

The vaulted ceilings are made of mirror mosaics. Thousands of small mirrors, gilded tiles and glass are laid out so that the slightest ray of light illuminates the entire hall and lights up the starry sky. The effect is amazing.

At the time when the hall was built, such mirrors were made only in Europe. They were expensive, and their delivery to the fort cost the rulers a considerable amount. Legends were made about the wonderful view of the hall; many dreamed of visiting it!
In the public audience hall - Divan-I-Am, beautiful double marble columns with elephant heads at the top surprise you. The elephants' trunks seem to be holding up the ceiling.

And next to it, 27 offices with snow-white marble columns. The local nobility met here.

Opposite the Mirror Palace is the Palace of Pleasures - Suks Niwas, also an unusual building. It is all snow-white marble rooms.

Palace of pleasures

Sandalwood doors with ivory inlay. There are a lot of holes in the walls of the rooms for cool air and gutters through which water flows, cooling the rooms. We can say that this cooling system is the predecessor of modern air conditioners.

Water cooling marble Palace pleasures

In the women's quarters (zenana), the rooms are designed quite cleverly. The Raja visited one of his wives or concubines in her room without being noticed by the other wives.
On the third tier of the Ganesh Gate there are gazebos that offer excellent panoramic views.

Panoramic view from the gazebo windows

From the windows of the gazebos, women had the right to watch the guests of the palace. Behind the beautiful openwork bars they were not visible from the outside.

Here I am sitting alone by the open window

In one of the courtyards there is the royal garden Char Bagh (Garden of Earthly Joys). It is completely different from the gardens we are used to. Once lush and beautiful, now he looked boring. Among the marble paths that divided the garden creating a strict pattern, stunted plantings grew. They were once watered by a fountain, but unfortunately it did not work.

Garden near the Mirror Palace

Amber Fort left an ambivalent impression in my memory. On the one hand, this is a powerful fortification with outbuildings: with stables, elephants, large cauldrons, where food for the servants was cooked in the courtyard and the fort guards lived.

This is the pot

On the other hand, it is the embodiment of an eastern paradise, where the nobility enjoyed peace and quiet, surrounding themselves with the luxury of palaces with elegant columns, openwork grilles, carved balconies, countless arches and secluded gazebos on the corners of the roofs. Different worlds- different life.

Of course, I still associate the word “Amber” with “The Chronicles of Amber” by Roger Zelazny, but now I’ll probably have to adjust my ideas a little.

Amber Fort is located 11 kilometers from Jaipur. The fort-palace, a classic example of a romantic Rajasthani fort, stands on a terraced plateau at the southwestern foot of the mountain. At the top is the Jaigarh fortress (Victory Fort), which guards the approaches to both Amber and Jaipur, located on the other side of the mountain. Amber is surrounded on all sides by hills, along the ridges and peaks of which a fortress wall with ramparts and watchtowers winds like an endless snake for many kilometers.

Construction of the fort began in 1592 by Raja Man Singh I, the commander of the Rajput units in the army of Emperor Akbar. The construction of the grandiose structure was completed by Man Singh's descendant, Jaya Singh I. The fort was named after the goddess Amba, better known in Indian mythology as Durga, and was built according to all the canons of the Rajput architectural style, which was developed in the state of Rajasthan in the Middle Ages.

Only local material was used for the construction, which made it possible to achieve an unusual effect - natural and man-made are almost impossible to distinguish from afar. With military attacks that often happened in those days, this had a special defensive significance. The Rajput architectural style is characterized by impeccable proportional lines and strict, clear external forms.

However, the massive fortress walls hid the rich interior decoration, exquisite workmanship and decorations that were inaccessible to the casual eye. Inside the fort, the buildings are complemented by many balconies covered with stone grilles, thin columns connected by scalloped arches, small gazebos at the corners of the roofs and awnings, as well as barred arched windows made into the walls to enhance ventilation. In the palace, the dream of paradise, giving delight to the soul and peace to the heart, found its true embodiment.

Rajput forts were built according to a fairly rigid pattern. The central part was occupied by a multi-tiered residential building - prasada, next to it there were one- or two-story pavilions, isolated or representing wings of prasada. The territory of the palace complex was divided into three parts: the first - a service yard with stalls, warehouses, weapons storage facilities, palace square and a pavilion for official audiences. The second is one or two courtyards with personal apartments, rooms for the treasury and a small home chapel. The third part housed the zanana (women's apartments) with terraces and gardens for walking.

The path to Amber begins on the shores of the artificial Lake Maota with a small island in the center - the Dalarama Garden (named after the architect of Jaipur). A wide road leads to the palace, along which elephants still move at a leisurely pace, delivering visitors to the first entrance gate - Jaya Pol. There is also a staircase with unusually large steps for riders and their horses, but not for pedestrians. The huge courtyard is followed by the Suraj Pol (Gate of the Sun), revealing Jaleb Chowk, a service courtyard with barracks and stables. Chandra Pol (Gate of the Moon) leads to a temple dedicated to Narasingha (the lion man, one of the incarnations of the god Vishnu), as well as to Jagat Shiromani (Treasure of the World), a temple with a huge prayer hall.

After passing Singh Pol (Lion's Gate), visitors emerge to the pavilion for official audiences (diwan-i-am). Its vaulted roof rests on 40 columns, the central ones made of white marble and the side ones made of red sandstone. It is noteworthy that the upper parts of the columns are made in the shape of elephant heads; their raised trunks serve as a natural support for the roof vault. The sofa-i-am ends with a terrace framed by a decorative lattice, from which it opens grandiose panorama surrounding landscape.

Behind the gate of Ganesh Paul begins a courtyard with a cozy small garden and the personal chambers of the rulers. On the right side is the graceful Sukh Niwas (Place of Joy), whose carved wooden doors are inlaid with ivory and sandalwood. The room is cooled by water flowing through a channel built directly into the floor, which ends in a small waterfall flowing into the char bagh (traditional Islamic indoor garden). The floor of the canal is paved with alternating strips of white and black marble. Resembling a zigzag wave, this pattern further enhances the effect of flowing water.

The Jaya Niwas Palace is made of pure white marble and with its elegant outlines resembles the famous pavilions of the Mughal emperors of the Agra fort. Jaya Niwas houses the Sheesh Mahal (Palace of Mirrors) and the Yash Mandir (Chamber of Glory), a diwan-e-khas whose walls are almost completely covered with various designs. At the same time, the lower panels of the walls are decorated with floral relief patterns. The edges of the panels are framed with a border lined with semi-precious stones. The upper sections of the walls are either painted (which is typical of the Hindu tradition) or inlaid with colored mosaics, pieces of glass or semi-precious stones (this is an Islamic cultural influence).

Sheesh Mahal, as well as the Yash Mandir located above, make the most impressive impression. Their walls and vaulted ceilings are covered with inlay using small mirrors, glass and gilded tiles, and the pattern is laid out in such a way that the light from even a single lit match creates a stunning starry sky effect.

At the very top of Jaya Niwas is the Nat Mahal terrace. With the onset of winter, darbars - court meetings - were held on it. Located near Jaya Niwas, the zanana is a veritable labyrinth of bedrooms, storage rooms, service areas, bathrooms, kitchens and covered terraces. When you enter this part of the palace, you invisibly feel the former presence of maharani (queens) and kumari (princesses). They led a solitary life, revealing themselves only by the gentle ringing of anklets heard in the depths of the zanana.

From the numerous open terraces and flat roofs of the palace (they were also used for walking), a breathtaking panorama of hills, ancient citadels and fortification towers stretching beyond the horizon opens. And far below you can see the calm surface of Lake Maota, in which, as in a huge mirror, the impregnable harsh walls of Amber are reflected.

Tourists usually get to the fort along the so-called “elephant road,” along which ammunition and provisions were once delivered to the fort. Before boarding the elephants, we were surrounded by numerous merchants offering wooden souvenirs. You can buy cute wooden elephants and camels from them for cheap. To bargain local residents they start with 3 figurines for 1000 rupees, but with special persistence you can reduce the price to 10 figurines for 1000 rupees. These figures are made somewhat crudely, but they are quite suitable as souvenirs for friends and acquaintances.

They immediately warn you that if you buy something before boarding the elephant, then the merchants will chase you for a long time, getting under the elephant’s feet and shouting out more and more advantageous offers. We finally bought several elephants and funny rag dolls of maharajas and maharashis from one of these pesters.

It is better to buy souvenirs on the way back. They will be cheaper there and you won’t have to carry them with you all the time. Before boarding, you can choose an elephant to suit every taste and color... Big or small, menacing or good-natured, decorated with painted patterns or richly decorated with bright fabrics and unusual decorations.

A separate attraction here is the staircase with special wide steps for the convenience of horse riders. Through the Jaya Pol gate, visitors to the fort enter a huge courtyard, followed by the next gate - Suraj Pol (Gate of the Sun). They, in turn, lead to the service yard of Jaleb Chowk, where military barracks and stables were located.

After the Sun Gate comes Chandra Pol - the Moon Gate, which leads us to the Narasinghe Temple. In Indian religious mythology, this is a lion man, one of the incarnations of the god Vishnu. The Jagat Shiromani (Treasure of the World) temple is also located here, with a spacious prayer hall.

After passing the Lion's Gate, guests of the fort find themselves in a pavilion (diwan-i-am), where official audiences were held. The vaulted roof of the pavilion rests on forty columns of red sandstone and white marble. The capitals of the columns are made in the shape of elephant heads, and the upturned trunks support the roof. The pavilion is adjacent to a terrace surrounded by a decorative lattice. The terrace offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.

Through the gates of Ganesh Pol, tourists pass into the courtyard, where there are the living chambers of the rulers and a small cozy garden. One of the premises has a telling name - the Place of Joy (Sukh Niva). Wooden carved entrance doors are inlaid with noble sandalwood and ivory. The room has a water cooling system, with a marble channel and a small waterfall that falls into the inner garden.

A separate attraction of the Amber Fort is the elegant Jaya Niwas Palace, built of snow-white marble. It houses the Sheesh Mahal Palace of Mirrors and the Yash Mandir Chamber of Glory. There is also a diwan-i-khas, a separate room, the walls of which are completely covered with picturesque drawings and patterns.

The lower panels of the walls are framed at the edges with a special border trimmed with semi-precious stones. Well, the upper sections of the walls are painted and inlaid with mosaics, fragments of semi-precious stones, gilded tiles, glass, and mirrors. In the evenings, tourists enjoy lighting candles or lighters and admiring the unexpected effect of the starry sky created by thousands of reflections.

Mirror mosaic was one of the techniques for decorating walls, columns and ceilings in Rajput palaces. Rajput style (from “raj” - “prince”, “put” - “son”) was formed in Rajasthan during the rule of the Rajputs - princely families. The windows are covered with carved marble grilles (jali), which enhance ventilation in the rooms, and also create a pleasant twilight and protect the rooms from direct rays of the sun.

Indoors amber fort Coolness and twilight reigned in contrast to the open courtyards flooded with rays of sun. Perhaps, by European standards, the chambers make a somewhat gloomy impression. But this was the only way to escape from the merciless sun that scorched most of the year. Just like in the old days, to the Jaya Pol (main gate Amber Fort) you can ride up on an elephant. Dalarama Garden is located on a small island in Lake Maota and is named after the first architect of the city of Jaipur. The path to the private apartments of the palace amber fort passes through a gate of amazing beauty - Ganesha Pol. Their façade is richly decorated with arches decorated with jali (carved stone grilles) and a bangal-dar type roof (such a roof has low domed ends with eaves far forward, which makes it look like a hat). On the top floor of the gate is the Sohag Mandir - its specially designed windows allowed the women of the court to observe public audiences without being noticed. On the same floor there is a Bhojan Shala (meal room) with paintings depicting scenes from Hindu mythology and images of the holy cities of India.

The Nath Mahal Terrace, located at the top of Jaya Niwas, served as the venue for ceremonial court meetings in the past. And the zanana is the living area, which is a labyrinth of bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, storage rooms and closed terraces. Here, in solitude, lived the queens and their daughters, young Indian princesses.

Graceful balconies, thin columns and stone lattices, numerous arches and gazebos at the corners of the roofs, numerous decorations of the Amber Fort give the impression of a real eastern paradise, created for the quiet enjoyment of beauty and peace.

Initially, the fort now known as Amber Fort was just a palace complex, an appendage of the military fortress now known as Jaigarh Fort. Jaigarh and Amber were ( yes to this day) are connected by protected passage walls and underground tunnels... Between Amber and Jaigarh lies a whole block of ancient houses and buildings, only a small part of which is inhabited. The rest are picturesque ruins scattered on the slopes of the hill...

If you came to Jaipur for more than one day, then you can safely devote a couple of days to a pedestrian exploration of the old walls and towers of the neighboring rocky ridges. The views that you will see from there will be 100% unique, which will not be available to any “organized” tourist. By the way, about the name of the fort, and indeed the city in general - there are at least 2 versions of the origin of the name that the guides will stuff you with: (1) They will show you in the direction of the town, that somewhere there ( the guide's finger makes a circle covering an area twice as large as the several thousand people of Amber) there was a great temple in which there was a statue ( I don't remember who, sorry) from a single piece of amber ( Amber in English is amber, just in case anyone doesn’t know); (2) You will come across a very stupid guide who will say that amber is yellow and the palace is made of yellow sandstone, which is why the type was named amber. You can only believe in these versions if you believe in Santa Claus...

Water Palace(Jag Nivas) summer residence Maharajah of Udaipur (Rajasthan, India), erected on an island of Lake Pichola approximately 250 m from the shore. Rajput architects knew how to build princely palaces in the middle of lakes and ponds on natural or made islands, creating the complete illusion of a structure literally growing out of the water.

This technique achieved two goals:

1. The water space was an additional obstacle and provided defensive advantages;

2. Water created a special microclimate in buildings.

From a distance, the white marble complex looks like a single whole, but in fact it is two palaces - Dilaram and Bari Mahal. They are connected to each other by gardens and charming courtyards with fountains and gazebos. Famous traveler J. Tod, one of the first foreigners to see this architectural miracle, wrote: “The palace on the lake... is built entirely of marble: columns, baths, water paths and fountains - everything is made of this material, in many places laid out with mosaics, and some monotony is pleasant scattered by the rays of the sun passing through the glass, colored with all the colors of the rainbow... The walls are richly decorated with carved stone medallions, which depict the main historical events of the family... Flower beds, orange and lemon groves, breaking the monotony of the buildings, are framed by thickets of tamarind and evergreen trees. Special dining rooms with columns and extensive baths for the Rajput rulers were built on the very shore...” Currently, Jag Niwas is one of the most romantic hotels in the world and gives visitors a unique opportunity to admire the water surface of the lake directly from the windows.

The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

We decided to set aside a whole day to visit the forts in the vicinity of Jaipur. We visited the famous Amber Fort, walked along a secret corridor to Jaigarh Fort and then walked along the hill to Nahargarh Fort. And from there we went straight down to Jaipur.

Getting to Amber Fort from Jaipur is very easy. You can, of course, take a taxi or rickshaw, but you can also take a regular bus.

The bus to Amber Fort departs from Jaipur from the square near the Palace of Winds. Route 29. Buses run quite often, cost 10 rupees. Driving from Jaipur takes approx.

20 minutes. The bus passes along the road at the foot of the hill on which the Amber Fort is located. And you still have to climb to it.

Amber Fort, or Amber Fort, was built in the 16th century for Raja Man Sigha I. The fort is located on a hilltop, at a distance of 11 km from Jaipur. It is surrounded on almost all sides by a strong wall that stretches for many kilometers. The area around is hilly and covered with fairly dense vegetation, which was an additional advantage for defense.

There are three options for climbing to Amber Fort: on foot, by jeep, or by elephant. The last two are quite expensive.

The walk from the road to the fort gate takes 10-15 minutes. You can enter the courtyard without a ticket, but to wander around the entire fort you need a ticket; for foreigners it costs 200 rupees, or you can enter with a composit ticket.

Amber Fort is divided into 4 main parts, each of which has its own separate entrance and courtyard. The main entrance is located in the eastern part of the fortress, for which it received the name “Gate of the Sun”. It was intended for the ruler himself and the nobility. The entrance leads to the courtyard in which the Raja reviewed his personal guard. There was also room for horses; the bodyguards' rooms were on the floor above. From this courtyard you can get to the Sila Devi temple, where sacrifices were made to the goddess Kali until 1980. You can go into the temple, but you will have to leave ALL your things and even take off your shoes. Near the entrance there is a specially trained person who will hold your camera, of course not for free. The temple is nothing sensible, we went one by one, because... leaving things to some Indian without identification marks, without a receipt, etc. did not want. It is better to admire the view of the surroundings, which opens from the walls of the fort.

There are many interior spaces in the fort and visiting them all will take at least 1-2 hours. All of them are connected by intricate corridors, stairs and passages. The second courtyard is Big hall with a double row of columns. It was intended for meetings where people could make requests or applications to the Raja.

Many balconies open out in all directions, from which you can see the surrounding hills with fortified walls, the pond in front of the Amber Fort, the Jaigarh Fort and a line of elephants with tourists walking towards the fort.

The third part of the fortress was reserved for the royal chambers, which can be accessed through the “Ganesha Gate”. This place is most replete with all sorts of wonders that attract tourists. Here you can see Hall of a Thousand Mirrors, “magic flower” and many other attractions. According to legend, the Hall of a Thousand Mirrors can be illuminated with just one candle, since its walls are covered with small mirrors.

Amber Fort has a tunnel through which one can leave the fort in case of siege. They say underground passages lead all the way to Jaipur, but they are closed, and only one passage to the Jaigarh fort is open. It was along this route that we left Amber Fort and moved towards Jaigarh Fort.

Jaigarh Fort much smaller and more modest than Amber Fort and to visit it you need separate ticket, cost 85 rupees and 50 rupees for the camera (but no one controls).

The fort also houses the world's largest cannon on wheels, at least that's what the inscription next to it says.

The fort may appeal to nature lovers - it is home to many wild monkeys, chipmunks and parrots.

After Jaigarh Fort, you can go down and go to Jaipur, but this is not our case. We went on foot to Nahargarh fort. It’s only about 5 km away, the road goes along the ridge from where they open beautiful views to the surrounding area. On the way, tuk-tukers tried to pester us, but not too much. But we saw wild peacocks more than once, and once more we glimpsed an animal the size of a small fox, but gray with a dark tip of its tail.

And here we are at the Nahargarh fort. The fort almost hangs over Jaipur, so its walls offer an excellent view of the city, and in one place there is even a huge sand dune. There are also macaques, and other forts had langurs.

From the fort, the serpentine road descends directly into the city. It’s quick and pleasant to go down it, but it’s unlikely to go up.

And if you are going to the forts in the morning, do not forget to take a windbreaker, this is not Mumbai, it is much cooler here.

Amber is famous for its fort, which is immediately associated with 2 misunderstandings.

Amber - city, and not a fort, although Amber Fort is often written, but the fort has its own name - Jaigarh, i.e. glory.
Amber's Fort in English it means both the Amber Fort and the Amber Fort, the second name is not correct, since it came several centuries after the founding of the city and its name has nothing to do with amber.

Amber was the capital of the Rajput Kachhwaha clan from 1037 to 1728, after which it moved to neighboring Jaipur when Jai Singh founded a new city there.
Although the buildings of Amber are less impressive than those of Jaipur, the city is unforgettable - it is located on narrow rocky ridges among the hills, and its high walls seem to continue the natural surroundings.

Amber Palace

Entrance ticket to the palace: 200 rupees, there is also a ticket for 300 rupees for 2 days, which includes 4 more Jaipurs. Palace opening hours: daily from 8 am to 6 pm.
Entrance to the palace complex through Suraj Pol (Sun Gate) to the main square of Jaleb Chowk. In the courtyard on the left, Sri Sila Devi (a form of Kali), a statue of the goddess is located in an unusual arch of stylized carved banana leaves. There is a staircase nearby, steep steps lead to Lion Gate(Singh Paul), where the entrance to the palace is located.

The architectural style of the palace is traditionally Rajput, although Mughal influence in the design is very noticeable. Passing through the first of three courtyards you will see on the opposite side the Diwan-i-Am (public audience hall), built in 1639, an open pavilion similar to the Mughal-era halls in Delhi and Agra.
Exquisitely decorated with mosaic panels Gate of Ganesh (Ganesh Pol) lead to the second courtyard, on the left Sheesh Mahal, created by Raja Jai ​​Singh, it has mosaic panels inlaid with glass and mirrors and marble. There are also doors made of sandalwood (!) wood, inlaid with ivory.
Man Singh Palace - old part palace, with an interlacing of narrow stairs and passages, interesting place for studying.

Amber Fort - Jaigarh

Opening hours: daily from 9 to 5 pm, entrance is 75 rupees, 50 is charged for, by and large there is nothing to shoot there, 100 rupees.
Rising above Amber, Jaigarh Fort, built in 1600 or even in the 11th century (according to various estimates), offers breathtaking panoramas of the neighboring hills and plains.
The fort contains two ancient temples- Ram Harihar (10th century) and Kala Bhairava (12th century).
Small museum filled with old maps and photographs, as well as cannons - dating back to 1588 - Jaigarh was an important center for weapons production. At the top of the fort there is a huge Jaivana cannon, the largest in Asia, which requires 100 kilograms of gunpowder for 1 shot, the cannonball flies 35 km, but no one has ever fired from it.

You can get to the Jaigarh fort by jeep (asked for 750 rupees), on an elephant - like the Rajput rulers (strongly not recommended, they suffer greatly from such walks) or you will have to walk for about 30 minutes along steep road, which is what we did.

How to get to Amber

Regular ones to Amber leave from Jaipur from the Hawa Mahal Palace, go frequently, travel time is about 20 minutes, the price was 7 rupees in the fall of 2010.
Guidebooks advise arriving in Amber in the morning so as not to encounter tourist groups, and I support this recommendation; they bring large groups tourists who shout, rush around, are photographed against the backdrop of attractions and greatly interfere with seeing what you want.

 

It might be useful to read: