Nearby

Jaipur

capital of Rajasthan, India

26.9159575.82038

we will see

Amer Fort

India
This massive fort-palace complex built in hybrid Hindu-Muslim style dates back to Raja Man Singh and was the royal palace of the Kachwahas from c. 1600-1727. It's one of six world heritage forts in Rajasthan. The name has nothing to do with the rather pretty pastel yellow colour; instead, the fort is named after the town of Amber, in turn named after the goddess Amba. The main sights within the fort include the Sheesh Mahal, adorned with thousands on thousands of mirror tiles on the walls and ceiling. The fort/palace grounds are sprawling and the information panels (Hindi/English) are somewhat limited, so it might be worth getting an audio guide or a real guide. It's a bit of a hike up from the town, and the touristy thing to do is to ride on an elephant to the top (in order to get an elephant it is better to arrive there in the morning, otherwise at midday the elephants are done working; however, the road that the elephants walk on is not so long). If you hire a genuine guide, you will be taken not only to the Amber Fort but also to the Rajasthan Kala Mandir (a government operated shop) to buy souvenirs. Guides get a 2% commission on the items you buy there. Also see the Amber Light Show below. The site has come under scrutiny as tourists claim to have witnessed the elephants being beaten by handlers. If you walk up the hill to the Jaigarh Fort be prepared to pay the entry fee as the path terminates at a ticket window and there is no way around to the road.