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“Udaipur” is regarded as the Venice of the East, is located around bright blue water lakes and is surrounded by lush green hills of the Aravallis. The city was founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II as the new capital of the Mewar Kingdom. It’s located in the fertile, circular Girwa Valley to the southwest of Nagda, which was the first capital of Mewar.
Udaipur is home to the famous Lake Palace, located in the middle of Lake Pichola, which is among the most beautiful sights of the city. Apart from Lake Pichola, Jaisamand Lake is claimed to be the second largest man-made sweet water lake in Asia.
The City Palace and Sajjangarh (Monsoon Palace) add to the glory and grandeur of the city. The solar observatory in Lake Fateh Sagar is the only observatory in the country with a pattern of a big bear in southern California.
Asides from sightseeing, the city is known for its profusion of zinc and marble, Shilpgarm; a 10-day handicraft festival termed in the month of December brings a large footfall of the people in the city.
Some of the popular sightseeing destinations in Udaipur are :
1. The City Palace
It is another wonderful trip down the pages of history. Placed on the banks of Lake Pichola, the City Palace is considered to be the largest royal complex in Rajasthan. Built in 1559 by Maharana Uday Singh, it was the main center from which the administration of the kingdom took place.
The palace now consists of assorted Mahals, a courtyard, pavilions, corridors, terraces, rooms, and hanging gardens symbolizing Rajput art and culture.
The architecture of City Palace:
The main Facade is magnificent having a height of 244 meters and 30.4 meters in width. The palace is built out of granite and marble. The interiors of the palace are uniquely decorated with mirror works, marble works, silver works, wall paintings, inlay works, and colored glasses.
The corridors of the palace are designed in a maze type with uneven staircases to avoid surprise attack by the enemies, the entrance of the complex has an elephant gate which is known as Hati Pol, Inside the palace, there is the Jagdish Temple at the entrance of the palace.
2. Lake Pichola
Located in the heart of Udaipur, the artificial lake was built by Pichhu Banjara, in 1362 AD, and was a gipsy tribesman. The lake is surrounded by palaces, family mansions, and bathing ghats that were built over centuries. Some of the prominent places of the lake are Jag Nivas, Jag Mandir and Mohan Mandir; now Jag Nivas has been revamped into a heritage hotel and is located on the Jag island. The Mohan Mandir was built by Jagat Singh between 1628 and 1652.
3. Fateh Sagar Lake
The mesmerizing lake was constructed by Maharana Jai Singh in 1678 AD. It lies to the north of Lake Pichola and is surrounded by woods and hills. The lake was later reconstructed by Maharana Fateh Singh (1884–1930). Fateh Sagar Lake is one of the four lakes in the city, and it houses three islands.
4. Jaisamand Lake
It’s known as the second largest man-made lake in Asia, it is situated around 48 km from Udaipur, covers an area of 36 sq kilometres, and has a stretch of 14 kilometres and a width of 9 kilometres. It was built in 1685 by Maharana Jai Singh during the construction of a dam on the Gomti River. The nearby area consists of the Jaismand Sanctuary, which serves as a habitat for various types of panthers, birds, leopards, wild boars, and crocodiles. It’s a must-visit if you are a nature explorer.
5. Vintage Car Museum
The spectacular collection is home to 20 antique cars, which include Rolls-Royces, 1939 Cadillacs, a Ford Convertible, rare Mercedes models, and many other gems of the vintage category of vehicles. Located on the Gulabh Bagh road, it’s 10 minutes walking distance from Lake Palace road.
Some honorable mentions of sights in Udaipur are Jag Mandir, the Wax Museum, the Crystal Gallery, Badi Lake, and Saheliyon ki Bari.
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