Zoological Garden
It is situated in the ram Niws garden. It is a century old and is among the oldest in the country. Set in a landscaped garden, it has a good number of birds and animals and also houses a famous crocodile breeding ground.
Ram Niwas Garden Central Museum (or Albert Hall Museum)
Situated in the spacious and beautiful Ram Niwas Garden, the museum has a rare collection of art facts and craft items such as metalwork, ivory carvings, cane wood articles and exquisite pieces of jewellery, textile, pottery and paintings. It is particularly rich in specimen of embossed, hammered and chiselled brass wares. The building was designed by Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob in the modern Indo-Saracenic style and was built in 1886 A.D. when King Edward VII visited as the Prince of Wales.
The Hawa Mahal, or the “Palace of Wind” built by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh in 1799 A.D. is characterised by elaborate and fanciful architecture. The broad pyramidical facade comprises five storeys of semi octagonal overhanging windows with perforated screens, domes and spires.
Jantar Mantar is the most famous and elaborate observatory of its time. It was constructed in the year 1724 A.D. by Sawai Jai Singh II, even before the city of Jaipur was built, and has been described as the most surrealistic and logical landscape instone. It was built to measure the local time, the sun’s declination, altitude, the declination of stars, planets and to determine eclipses.
Jagat Shiromani Temple
The beautifully carved Jagat Shiromani Temple houses the idol of Lord Krishna and is popularly associated with the celebrated saint-poetess Mira Bai. The old temple of Narsinghji and a step well Panna Main-ki-Baodi, which still bears witness to its past glory are also located in the vicinity.
Moti Doongrari & Lakshmi Narayan Temple
The important landmarks dotting the southern horizon of the city inlcude the small privately- owned hilltop fort of Moti Doongari, shaped like a Scottish Castle; the Ganesh Temple at the foot of the hill and the Lakshmi Narayan Temple built from white marble, a few years back by the B.M. Birla foundation.
Govind Devji Temple
To the north of Chandra Mahal in the midst of the sprawling Jai Niwas Garden is the spireless temple of Lord Krishna. The idol wsa brought from Vrindavan and installed here by Sawai Jai Singh II as the tutelary deity. Today, the temple attracts devotees, from all over the country.
A delightful system of fountains is placed in the middle of the paved path between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal. The palace has extensive and sprawling gardens.
The City Palace is an imposing blend of traditional Rajasthani and Mughal art and architecture. The City Palace complex houses several palatial structures. The first building in it is Mubarak Mahal, built by Kaharaja Madho Singh. It has a beautifully carved marble gate with heavy brass doors on either side of this gate. Beyond this gate lies the Diwan -e-Khas, or the “Hall of Private Audience”.
Across a paved square lies the Diwan-e-Aam, or the “Hall of Public Audience”. To the north-west is the stately and graceful seven storeyed Chandra Mahal, the residence of the ex-ruler. Each storey has a distinctive name and is a place of sheer beauty and luxury. Paintings, floral decorations, mirror walls and ceilings in the traditional style adorn the palace. The uppermost storey is called the Mukut Mahal.
Opposite the chandra Mahal lies the Baldal Mahal. The Govind Devji temple stands inthe middle of the Chandra Mahal and Badal Mahal. A delightful system of fountains is placed in the middle of the paved path between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal. The palace has extensive and sprawling gardens.
At a short distance of 11 kms . from Jaipur, the Amer Fort complex stands amidst wooded hills overlooking the Delhi-Jaipur highway, with its forbidding ramparts reflected in the still waters of the Maota Lake below. One of the finest examples of Rajput architecture, it was the ancient capital of the Kachhawah rulers. The original palace was built by Raja Man Singh and additions were made later by Sawai Jai Singh.
Within the palace are the Diwan-e-Aam or the “Hall of Public Audience”, the Diwan-e-Khas or the “Hall of Private Audience” and the Sukh Niws where a cool breeze blows across channels of water for the purpose of air-conditioning. Here are the private chambers of the queens with windows having latticed screens so that the ladies could watch the proceedings of the royal court inprivacy. There is also the Jai Mandir or the “Temple of Vicotry”, with its famed Sheesh Mahal, the scintillating “Hall of Mirrors”
Perched atop a pricturesque hill, the Nahargarh Fort offers a breathtaking view of the city below. Initially built by Sawai Jain Singh in 1734 A.D. It was enlarged and given its present shape by Sawai Madho Singh in1885 A.D. Decorative motifs in some of the rooms are delightful. From the windows of the nine identical suites, one gets a magnificent view of the city, complete witht he geometrical layout. From Amer there is a road to Nahargarh, which passes through the hills.