47 Rajasthan Forts and Palaces That Radiate The Past Glory

Rajasthan is a state on the northwest border of the country and is considered rich in heritage and culture. The places you can visit here are completely amazing and jaw-dropping. From the pink city to the golden one everything is found right here.

The major reasons people visit Rajasthan are its architectural delights and amazing presence of flora and fauna (especially wildlife). Those particularly interested in culture and festivals also have a lot to see here.

The state has tales of brave maharajas spread all over it and to feel a few experiences of the finest ones all you have to do is look at their portraits, weapons and maybe more. All of those are still saved and savoured in the Rajsthan forts and palaces where they resided.

Given below is a list of Rajasthan forts and palaces you might fall in love with once visited.

1. Amber Fort

Built on a hill by Raja Man Singh, is known for its artistic style which is a blend of Hindu and Rajputana style. The Maota Lake is present in front of the fort and it has tremendous gates and pathways which were a lot in number. Its basic construction consists of red and white sandstone around 1592. Inside the fort itself, there is a must-see Sheesh Mahal present.

2. Jaisalmer Fort

Constructed in the 10th century, it is also known as the Sonar Kila. It is pretty similar to the fort in the cartoon series Arabian nights. This fort is not only a fort, but it also has a shopping complex and museum and something more too. If that is not enough to tempt you to visit this fort, I don't know what will.

3. Ranthambore Fort

Built deep within the Ranthambore National Park, it was constructed around the 10th century by the Chauhan’s. It is filled with elements from Rajasthani architecture like domes, towers and gates, pathways, stone walls and temples. This fort has a total of seven gates all of which allow visitor entrances.

4. Chittorgarh Fort

It is the representation of the Rajputana pride, spirit and romance too and is indeed known as the ‘the pride of Rajasthan state’. It is vast and that can be justified just by mentioning the fact that the fort has seven gates to itself. The locals believe that the Mauryans had built it in or around the seventh century.

5. Nahargarh Fort

The Nahargarh fort is carefully crafted near the Ranthambore National Park amidst the wildlife and the expanse of trees. It is located on the Aravali range itself. It was built in 1743 by the maharaja(king) of Jaipur- Sawai Jai Singh II. the fort has a glorious and brave past and is known and famous as it narrates the saga of the city to date.

6. Gagron Fort

The unique location of this fort makes it the only ‘Jal and van dunrg’ fort i.e. the only fort which was water and forest protected. Another great feature of this fort is that this fort consists of both Hindu and Muslim shrines thus, it celebrates festivals of both themselves. It also has a proud and brave history behind it.

7. Mehrangarh Fort

The Mehrangarh fort is approximately a hundred feet tall and stands on a cliff. It plays a significant part in the composition of the skyline of Jodhpur. It is originally built with red sandstone and its beauty cannot go unrecognised. It is so gigantic that it was given the name ‘the work of giants’ by Rudyard Kipling.

8. Hawa Mahal

Hawa Mahal is also known as the ‘Palace of breeze’ and was built in 1799. It is in total five floors long and is shaped in the form of a Krishna crown. It has great balconies with pink windows thus, allowing the cool breeze to blow through.

The top three storeys have thick single rooms and are called Vichitra Mandir, Prakash Mandir and Hawa Mandir. It is a famous story or maybe a rumour among locals that the king used to pray in the Vichitra Mandir every evening. It is one of the most visited places among the Rajasthan forts and palaces.

9. Lake Palace

The taj lake palace is built on a man-made island surrounded by Lake Pichola. It was originally built by Maharaja Jagjit Singh II and is known to be built for his pleasure originally for approximately over two and a half centuries. The first and foundational stone was laid in 1743. It was first known as Jag Niwas but then in 1971 the taj took over displaying elegance and royalty thus, changing its name to taj lake palace

10. Umaid Bhawan Palace

According to the locals, the palace is linked to a curse of a saint which is pretty unclear yet. The palace was actually under the rule of the Rathore dynasty after the rumours were started. This palace also has a museum open to public visitors and a hotel which provides them with residence offers.

11. Kumbhalgarh Fort

It is built on a hilltop on the Aravalli range and has seven gateways all open to visitors. The fort has an inbuilt Hindu and Jain temple. In remembrance of Maharana Kumbha, a three-day annual festival is organised in the fort by the Rajasthan tourism department every year. This festival embraces the art and architecture of the fort and its history as well.

12. Taragarh Fort

One of the most interesting and quite adventurous facts about this fort is that it is built on the top of a steep hill. This fort has an amazing history inclusive of huge battles, tunnels, ramparts, embellished gateways and so many what-nots. The gates have carvings of elephant figures and it has stained-glass windows. Although some of its structure has fallen into ruins it is still an amazing visit which must be experienced at least once.

13. Junagarh Fort

The foundation of this fort was laid by Rao Bika who was also the founder of Bikaner in the 15th century. The architectural style of the fort is a trio of Mughal, Gujarati and traditional Rajput styles. The fort was renamed around the 20th century and the original name is yet unknown to people.

14. Bala Quila

Bala Quila, also known as Alwar Fort, was originally built by the Rajputs and was reconstructed around the 15th century by the Mughals. The fort has 15 large and 51 small towers in all.

15. Jal Mahal

Another Rajasthan palace with the architectural showcase of the Rajputs is Jal Mahal. The palace is built with red sandstone and is five-storied. Although due to its age and recent water logging issues there have been problems. The government is working to keep it in great condition.

16. Jaipur City Palace

The palace was built around the beginning of the main rulers of the city which began with Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. It has a special complex and is unique and different from all the other palaces.

17. Lake Palace

Lake Palace also known as Jag Niwas was a former summer palace for the royal dynasty of Mewar. Its walls are made up of black and white marble which were adorned by semi-precious stones.

18. Udaipur City Palace

The city palace was built by Maharana Udai Singh II. The Maharanas were the ones who ruled and administered the kingdom while living there. After the death of Udai Singh, his son lost the palace to a member of the Mughal Empire around 1576. The palace is complex as it includes several chowks, zigzag corridors, and quadrangles etc.

19. Alwar City Palace

The palace is impressively designed. It has grand gates and elaborate towers. It was built in 1793 by Raja Bakhtayar Singh. There is an artificial lake just by the palace.

20. Neemrana Fort

This fort belonged to the rajas of Neemrana of the Sankat clan and then later to the Kharak family of the Chauhan clan. Companies of both India and abroad have or are willing to invest in the industries set up here.

21. Deogarh Mahal

It is also built on the top of the Aravalli range. It has domes, jharokhas, turrets and huge getaways. It has an amazing view of the valley. This Rajasthani Mahal highlights the rich history, art and tradition of the state.

22. Lalgarh Palace

This palace took a whole 24 years to finish and it has an Indo-Saracenic architectural style. It is gigantic and is inclusive of a library and two museums within itself. The museums are Sadul museum and Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum. The architecture is completely aesthetic, the palace has carved stonework, fireplace, latticework, and some exquisite embellishments which are a display of the golden past.

23. Rambagh Palace

This palace is the former residence of the royal family of Jaipur. The first-ever part of it to be built was the garden house. Now the palace is owned by the Taj Group of hotels.

24. Udai Bilas Palace

This palace is dated back to somewhere around the mid 19th century. It was built by Maharawal Udai Singhji II. The furnishings of this palace are modern and unique and they include marble bathrooms and deco style art.

25. Jag Mandir Palace

It is also known as the lake garden palace as it is built on an island on Lake Pichola. The construction was started in 1551 by Maharana Amar Singh. It is named Jagjit temple in honour of Maharana Jagjit Singh.

26. Bhangarh Fort

Also commonly known as the horror fort among the locals and travellers, this fort is built on the border of the Sariska reserve. The lower slopes have the ruins and remains of the king’s palace. It is located near the village Gola ka baas.

27. Jaigarh Fort

The structure and architecture of this fort are very similar to the Amer Fort. It is also known as the victory fort. It is made of red sandstone and was ruled by Meenas around the 10th century.

28. Devgarh Fort

It was built by Rao Raja Devi Singh in 1787. It is on top of the hill at a height of 2100 feet above sea level. It has the design and architecture of the traditional Shekhawats, which includes frescos and carvings.

29. Khejarla Fort

It was constructed around early 1611 for Maharaja Gopal Das in honour of his service for the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Due to the three attacks of the Mughals on the fort, it was destroyed and was thus rebuilt.

30. Lohagarh Fort

This Rajasthani fort was constructed by Bharatpur Jat rulers. This fort is considered one of the strongest forts in the history of Indian forts. It has two gates, one of them is north facing and the other one is south facing. They are named ashtadhatu and chowburja respectively.

31. Khimsar Fort

It is located near Khinsvar village. It was built in 1523 by Rao Karamsji. After the attacks of the Mughals, Aurangzeb used to stay there while in Nagaur.

32. Kesroli Fort

It was built in the 14th century by the Yaduvanshi Rajputs. After it was completed it was conquered by the Mughals and the jats. Currently, it is operated by the Neemrana hotels company and is considered one of the best heritage hotels.

33. Deeg Fort

This Rajasthani fort was built by Badan Singh in 1721. The fort has massive walls and deep moats to keep it away from raiders. It was built as a luxurious summer resort for rulers.

34. Danta Ramgarh Fort

This fort does not have a lot of known history and is currently a heritage hotel people can easily visit. You can enjoy staying like a Royal in this beautiful paradise.

35. Jhalawar Fort

Located in the heart of the city it is also known as Garh palace. It was built by maharaja Rana Madan Singh and his successors around 1840-1845. The palace is filled with beautiful paintings on its walls.

36. Kishangarh Fort

It was built in 1649, by Maharaja Roop Singh. It has a combined architectural style of the Rajputs and the Mughals. Its main attraction or the greatest feature is the colossal double-storied darbar hall.

37. Roopangarh Fort

It was built by Maharaja Roop Singh of Kishangarh in 1648. It controlled the trade around the sambhar salt lake. An ornate palace was built next to the fortress after which in 1999, the maharaja turned the fort into a hotel.

38. Badalgarh Fort

The Badalgarh Fort was originally built by Nawab Fazi Khan in the 17th century and is one of the beautiful Rajasthan forts and palaces. The interior and the architecture of this fort is extremely beautiful and includes paintings and carvings of all sorts.

39. Udaivilas Palace

In a city of palaces, this Rajasthani palace stands tall among the others. It has a great garden, and its architecture includes marble statues and carvings and other interiors to die for. Recently, it was declared as the most hygienic palace-hotel.

40. Fateh Prakash Palace

This palace stands right across the Taj Lake palace and between the Shimbu Niwas palace and the city palace museum. It has the most amazing restaurant and a terrace famous for the view of sunsets.

41. Bundi Palace

This palace was built by Rao Raja Ratan Singh around 1607. The palace houses the best painting schools of India and is easily recognisable as it has two elephants at its entrance.

42. Bal Samand Lake Palace

Bal Samand Lake Palace is another of the marvellous Rajasthan forts and palaces. If you want to have a taste of Rajasthani royalty, this palace is a must-visit. It is built in red sandstone around the 17th century by Maharaja Jaswant Singh I of Jodhpur.

43. Monsoon Palace

This palace is built with white marble and it reflects the history of the Mewar Kingdom. It is also known as the Sajjan Garh Palace and is named after maharaja Sajjan Singh. It was originally to be constructed as a five-storey astronomical centre.

44. Junagarh Palace

The fort was originally called Chintamani. It was built under the supervision of Karan Chand and was completed in 1594. This building displays a mix of culture and architectural styles.

45. Gajner Palace

It is approximately 20 km from the main city and is gorgeous. The palace was previously a hunting ground built for Maharaja Ganga Singh. It is sitting on the wildlife sanctuary and the Gajner Lake. The temple in the village around the palace plays its daily Hindi prayers/tunes around regular sleeping time and are considered as goodnight for Gajaner.

46. Mandawa Fort

The historical importance of this fort is high due to the city it is based in. It is considered a great attraction for tourists as it has several paintings most of which is devoted to Lord Krishna.

With this fort, we come to an end of the list of Rajasthan forts and palaces in the state of Rajasthan but that doesn’t mean there aren't more of these. The forts and palaces stand as strong even today as they were when they were first built or when they stood there in battles.

People skip a beat while crossing through the narrow passages or observing the paintings and statues of famous kings and queens. All these forts have a great history behind them and to fill in some of the missing facts you will have to go there to find out.

And if these features don’t push you to visit them as soon as you get a chance then I don’t know what will.

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