Fairytale palace of Amber. Amber Fort Jaipur - hidden corners of the Jaipur Maharajas Amber Fort India

We decided to set aside a whole day to visit the forts in the vicinity of Jaipur. We visited the famous Amber Fort, secret corridor went to Jaigarh fort and then crossed 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 a separate ticket, the cost is 85 rupees and for a camera 50 rupees (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 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.

The city was founded during the reign of Maharaja Bhagwan Dash as the seat of his second son Mado Singh and was a very prosperous Indian city for quite some time. Gradually its influence declined and after the famine of 1783 it became uninhabited.

According to one legend, the city was cursed by a magician named Bala Nath. Initially, he blessed the construction of the city on the condition that the shadows of the palaces being built in it should not touch the place of his meditation, otherwise the city would be destroyed. But neither the Raja nor his son listened to him and as a result the city began to collapse. Since then, when new houses were built, their roofs were destroyed.

Today it is a deserted, ruined place that can only be visited during the daytime. This is regulated almost at the level of law: at the entrance to the city there is a sign from the Archaeological Survey of India, which states that staying in the city after sunset is prohibited.

Coordinates: 27.09470100,76.29060400

Amber Fort

Amber Fort, built in 1592, is considered one of the finest fortified structures in India. It is located on a hillside, and its walls are reflected in the waters of Lake Moata. Tourists are delivered to the fort different ways– amateurs hiking can climb up on their own, lovers of comfort can go on one of the tourist roads, and exotic lovers can go to the fort riding an elephant. Inside the fort, in the first courtyard, there are many souvenir shops. A little further is the Shila Devi temple, dedicated to the warlike goddess Kali. Wild monkeys can often be seen on the huge open terraces. If you move deeper into the temple, you find yourself in the Hall of Pleasure, not far from which there is a canal that was previously used as a water storage facility. Their temple Jai Mandir next to the Maharaja's chambers opens wonderful view for the entire complex and the lake below.

Another fort, Jaigarh, is located above the Amber fort. It was built by Jai Singh in 1726. Well preserved observation towers of this fort, and it is here that the world's largest wheeled cannon is located.

Coordinates: 26.98430900,75.85119700

India, Amer, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302001, India

general information

“Amber Fort”, “Great Indian Wall”, as they call it local residents a huge citadel located 11 km from the Pink City of Jaipur. The fortress stands at the very top of a rocky hill. This creates a wonderful contrast between the clean lines and austere forms of the formidable walls of the Amber Fort in the Rajput architectural style and the light water surface artificial lake Maota.

From the height of the fortress walls there is a beautiful view of the hills, the city, and ancient ruins. In the XII-XVIII centuries, the fort was the capital of Jaipur. Now it is a popular attraction in India, to which about half a million tourists climb every year along the wide stone road in jeeps, riding elephants or simply on foot.

How to get to Amber Fort

A flight from Delhi to Jaipur will take about 30 minutes or 6 hours by train, and the walk to the massive gates of the fortress will take about the same. A bus will take you to the very walls of Amber in 5.5 hours; the cost of such a trip from Delhi will be at least 500 rupees.

Attractions of Amber Fort

The interior decoration of the citadel reveals to the guest complex patterns in a mixed style, characteristic of all Indian architecture: there are elements of traditional Mongolian architecture, and traces of Hindu and Muslim influence.

Inside the fortress, the buildings are richly decorated with thin columns, stone lattices, balconies, arches and gazebos, many mirrors and paintings carved from solid coral.

Chamber of Mirrors

This architectural complex, also called the Sheesh Mahal Palace, undoubtedly evokes the strongest emotions among visitors. All rooms of the Chamber are decorated with mirror mosaics from floor to ceiling. In the hall you can see complex designs with floral motifs, with monochromatic glitter, as well as interspersed with colored glass.

Jaigarh Fort

The name of the citadel is translated as “victory fortress.” It is located just above the Amber Fort, but within its walls. This was once a defensive bunker attached to the main fort. That’s why you won’t find any special luxury in decoration here.

There is a museum in the fort, where you can see one of the largest wheeled cannons in the world - the 50-ton Jaivan cannon.

Audience halls

The complex is represented by two spacious pavilions: Diwan-e-Aam or “Hall for the Public” and Diwan-e-Khas (Hall for Private Audience). Both rooms are located under vaulted roofs, each supported by 40 columns.

The public hall has an extension in the form of an open terrace with panoramic view to the surrounding area. The walls of the private audience hall are decorated with ornate carvings, and on the ceiling you can see a unique mirror mosaic surrounded by traditional Indian stucco.

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) on main square 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 leading 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- the old part of the 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 Jaigarh Fort by jeep (they 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 a steep road, which is what we did.

How to get to Amber

Regular ones to Amber leave 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 coming to Amber in the morning so as not to encounter tourist groups, and I support this recommendation; on excursions to Amber they bring large groups of tourists who shout, flicker, take pictures in front of the sights and greatly interfere with seeing what you want.

Updated: Sep 25, 2019

Amber Fort is a famous palace complex consisting of many castles, temples, gardens and pavilions, the construction of which took almost 2 centuries. Appearance This building evokes very mixed impressions. On the one hand there are impregnable fortress walls, on the other - a real oriental oasis with marvelous arches, ancient mosaics, mirrors, fountains and an intricate labyrinth of passages hiding a great many secrets.

General information

Amber (India) is a majestic structure rising on a rocky cliff 11 km from Jaipur, the capital of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Its history began in 1592 with the construction of an ordinary defensive bastion designed to protect the principality of Dhundhar from enemy attacks. Truly working on it grandiose project was initiated by Raja Man Singh I, but he was never able to enjoy the results of his work - the famous military leader died long before its completion.

For the construction of the fort, which remained administrative center from these regions down to the base of Jaipur, local sandstone was used. The walls, made of this light yellow rock, practically merged with the surrounding panorama. The effect was so strong that it was almost impossible to see Amber from afar. This decision was not made by chance - with frequent military attacks, it played a huge defensive role.

By the way, it is precisely because of this material that many guides claim that the name of the palace comes from English word"amber" - "amber". But, despite the fact that in the pre-sunset hour the walls of the fortress actually acquire an orange tint, this is far from the case. The fort is actually named after the Indian goddess Amba, also known as Durga.

Interestingly, fortified settlements at this place existed 1000 years before the events described. I. When the main road to Delhi was built past them, strengthening the approaches to the residence of the Dhundhars became a strategically important task. Moreover, the local rajah was so afraid of the troops of the Delhi Sultanate that another fortress was built next to Amber, connected to it by numerous underground tunnels. Together with Amber, it forms a powerful defensive structure, the walls of which stretch along the mountain hills for almost 20 km. Because of its impressive size, locals often call it the “Great Wall of India,” hinting at its similarity to the famous Chinese landmark.

Work on the fort was completed by Jai Singh I, who became the successor of the previous Raja. It was under him that the Amber Fort in Jaipur turned into a beautiful palace complex with 4 separate courtyards, man-made lake Maota, luxurious mosques and gardens. And even despite the fact that after the entire princely court moved to another city, the bastion began to fall into decay, for many years it continued to remain the most important fortification structure in Rajasthan.

Today, Amber Palace is part of the Golden Triangle of India and is one of the most visited attractions in the country. In 2013, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Structure and architecture of the palace

Despite the centuries-old history of its existence, Amber Fort (Jaipur, India) continues to be the clearest demonstration of the beauty and luxury with which medieval Indian rajahs surrounded themselves.

Created in the best traditions of the Rajput architectural style, which was at the peak of its development at that time, it is distinguished by strict forms and perfectly proportional lines. However, behind the simplicity inherent in the external walls, there is hidden the richest interior decoration and various decorations that are inaccessible to the common man.

The internal buildings of the fortress are complemented by beautiful balconies, miniature gazebos arranged at the corners of roofs and awnings, arched columns made of snow-white marble, and barred windows providing an influx of fresh air.

Features of the fort structure

Like other structures built during the Rajput period, Amber has several characteristic features. If central part The complex was occupied by prasada, the main residential building, consisting of several tiers, extensions and pavilions, then the rest of the territory of the citadel is divided into 3 different parts. The first is a zenana, women's rooms with open terraces and mini-parks. The second is courtyards with personal royal chambers, a palace forum and a study. Well, the third is the service yard, which housed stalls, warehouses and armories.

Gates, courtyards and rooms of the complex

The path to the fort begins on the banks of Maota, a small artificial lake, in the center of which is the picturesque garden of Dalarama. After traveling a short distance, visitors to the complex will find themselves in front of the Jai Pol, the central entrance gate. By the way, there is another path leading to them. We are talking about a stone staircase with unusually high steps, along which Indian horsemen moved in earlier times.

After passing through the large patio next to the first gate, tourists find themselves in front of the Suraj Pol or the Gate of the Sun. They open Jaleb Chowk, the same farm yard with barracks, sheds, stables and other service buildings. Following it, you can see the Moon Gate or Chandra Pol, leading to two sanctuaries - Jagat Shiromani and Narasingha.

Next comes the Singh Pol or Lion's Gate, through which you can access the Diwan-i-Am, a pavilion for business meetings and personal audiences, the vaults of which are supported by four dozen columns. Some of them are made of marble, others are made of orange sandstone. Interestingly, the upper part of these pilasters is shaped like elephants with their trunks raised up. They are the ones who act as supports for the ceiling. Divan-i-Am ends with a small open veranda framed by a beautiful decorative lattice.

The next gate of the Amber Fort (Rajasthan, India) is the Ganesha Pol, guarding the entrance to the cozy courtyard with the personal apartments of the rajas. In former times, only members of the royal family and their servants had access to this part of the palace.

If you look to the right, you can see the marble Sukh Niwas Palace, whose carved doors are decorated with sandalwood and ivory. The building of this castle is cooled by water, which flows through a channel laid directly in the floor and flows into the Char Bagh, a small Islamic garden. In close proximity to this place is Jai Niwas, another castle, within the walls of which are located many amazing objects.

Among them, Yash Mandir (Hall of Fame), Sheesh Mahal (Chamber of Mirrors) and Diwan-i-Khas deserve the most attention. The walls and semicircular ceilings of the first two are decorated with a huge number of broken mirrors, gilded tiles and pieces of glass. All these elements are combined into a unique pattern that creates the effect of a starry sky even with a single lit candle. As for the second, its ceilings are decorated with a relief floral pattern, a border created from semi-precious stones, all kinds of designs and inlays made from ancient colored mosaics.

Almost under the very roof of Jaya Nivas, a special platform was equipped, where court meetings were held with the arrival of cold weather. The final element of the Amber Fort is the zenana, a complex labyrinth whose rooms were inhabited exclusively by the female half. Staying in this part of the complex, you can’t help but feel the presence of maharanis (queens) and kumaris (princesses), who led such a calm and secluded lifestyle that they could only be detected by the quiet chiming of their anklets.

From the numerous galleries and flat roofs of the palace, which are also used for promenades, a beautiful view of the ancient citadels, impregnable Mountain peaks, defensive towers and the calm waters of Lake Maota, stretching somewhere far below.

Practical information

• Amber Castle located at Devisinghpura, Amer, Jaipur 302001, India.
• Open daily from 08:00 to 17:30.
• The cost of visiting is about $7, but if you come here in the evening, you will pay only $1.5 for entry.

It should also be noted that at sunset, sound and light shows are organized on the territory of Amber, during which visitors are introduced to the history of the fort and significant events of Rajasthan. A ticket for an English-language performance costs up to $3, for a Hindi performance it is 2 times cheaper. This event lasts about an hour.

On a note! For those who are planning to spend at least a week in Jaipur, we advise you to purchase a comprehensive ticket, with which you can visit not only this fortress, but also 3 more palace complex, ancient observatory Jantar Mantar and Albert Hall Museum.

When going to Amber Fort, take note of a few important tips:

1. If you are going to climb the territory of the complex on an elephant, we recommend arriving right before the opening. Firstly, this “type of transport” is being built huge queue, and secondly, the number of elephants is limited, so there may simply not be enough for everyone. In addition, each animal is only capable of making 4 trips, after which they are sent to rest until the next day.


2. You can also get to the fort by car, but due to the one-way traffic, there is a high probability of missing a cow that gets in your way. Of course, you will still get to the main attraction of Rajasthan, but it may take a little longer than you expected.
3. In India, it is customary to tip everyone - from waiters to doormen and maids. The fort workers - snake charmers, photographers, mahouts, etc. - will also be expected to receive a small reward. The latter receive 100 rupees from each animal.
4. At the entrance to the fortress, you will probably be offered to buy some kind of souvenir (usually one or several elephants at once). Don’t rush to agree - the same product will end up costing much less.
5. In general, you should be careful with street vendors in Amber. If you don't plan to buy anything, put on as detached a look as possible and try not to even meet their gaze. As soon as you enter into a conversation with at least one of these businessmen, others will immediately join him. This company will accompany you until you board the elephant, and if you do agree to buy something, they will also get under its feet.
6. Don't forget to bring a light snack and water. It will take at least 4 hours to explore the entire territory, and the air temperature in India rarely drops below +30°C.



7. Another feature of the fort is the local photographers. They click tourists throughout the entire climb, and then offer to buy these photographs for $8-9 (there are 15 pieces in the album, but it’s better to count them). But don't grab the first offer you come across. First, look for photos taken from the most high points(they have very nice views) and then haggle hard.
8. Other tourists will be a free alternative to local photographers. Make arrangements with those driving in front and behind you, and then exchange pictures via email.
9. It is better to walk around Amber Fort in India with a professional guide. There are so many loopholes, rooms and corridors that without it you will definitely miss something.
10. When arriving in Jaipur in December-January, be prepared for a gray haze to be present in all morning photographs. This is nothing more than fog mixed with smog. The reason for their appearance is strong differences in day and night temperatures.

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