Rajasthan Monuments Rajasthan desert state in India is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and evocative monuments. Rajasthan retains the medieval grandeur and magnificent palaces, beautiful and richly sculpted temples, and imposing monuments in Rajasthan bear witness to some of Rajput ‘s finest civilization creations. Rajasthan’s ancient monuments ranked top among the state’s many tourist attractions. Those ancient palaces and mansions attract tourist hoards from all over the world to Rajasthan. The monuments in Rajasthan India add to the state’s magnetic beauty right from the formidable forts to fascinating palaces and from the massive ‘havelis’ (mansions) to the majestic temples.

These Rajasthan historic forts are known for their stunning architectural beauty and attract tourists from around the world. They are much admired for their incredible and wonderful architectural beauty. The various towns are Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur.

The Pink City of India, Jaipur is Rajasthan’s capital city and it has some of Rajasthan ‘s oldest forts. Some of Jaipur ‘s major historic sites include Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal, or Winds Palace, Jal Mahal, Rambagh Palace, etc.

Jodhpur, also known as the Blue City of India, is the second-largest city of Rajasthan. It has Fort Mehrangarh, Palace of Umaid Bhawan, Memorial of Jaswant Thada and Lake & Palace of Balsamand.

Rajasthan Lakes City is Udaipur is a beautiful city and the land of magnificent palaces. In this city, major palaces include Lake Palace, Jagmandir Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Shiv Prakash Palace, Monsoon Palace, and so on.

There is a massive, nearby fort complex called Kumbhalgarh Fort. Also located at Bikaner are Junagarh Fort and Lalgarh Palace which are also very beautiful palaces. Also worthy of praise is Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal and Saheliyon-Ki-Bari for their stunning architecture and definitive designs. Laxmi Niwas Palace, too, is evidence of the Royals’ magnificent architecture.

India’s Golden City, Jaisalmer is a major Rajasthan tourist destination. It has a Golden Fort that is also a magnificent palace in Rajasthan, and is India’s only living forts.

Other popular monuments in Rajasthan are the Neemrana Fort & Palace, Bharatpur Lohagarh Fort, Chittorgarh Fort, Kota City Palace, Alwar City Palace and others, known for their stunning architecture beauty.

Most Famous Forts and Rajasthan Monuments

Jaipur Monuments

The capital of the state, Jaipur is also the largest city in the princely state of Rajasthan. It was founded by the Kachwaha Rajput Ruler Sawai Jaisingh II who was Amber’s ruler in 1727. Often known by the nickname ‘Pink City of India’ which is due to the buildings’ distinctive saffron or pink colour. City planning was done in accordance with the Vedic Vastu Shastra (Indian Architecture). The well-planned streets and thorough and imaginative architecture make it one of the top tourist destinations of choice.

Jaipur was ranked as # 7 of the best places to visit in Asia in the 2008 Conde Nast Traveller Readers Choice Poll. Jaipur has plenty to offer even to the most typical of visitors. Jaipur’s forts, monuments, temples, gardens, museums and vast markets bring tourists from all over the world to experience the food, fun and frolic in this beautiful city. Jaipur is also home to an immense number of arts and crafts with more than 20 unique specializations.

List of Jaipur Monuments

• City Palace
• Amer Fort
• Nahargarh Fort
• Jaigarh Fort
• Hawa Mahal
• Jal Mahal
• Jantar Mantar
• Pink City Bazaars
• Albert Hall Museum
• Galtaji
• Birla Temple
• Govind Dev ji Temple

For more information on the tourist destinations in Jaipur, please visit: places to visit in Jaipur. Alone for this area, you may want to plan a separate 3 day itinerary.

Udaipur Monuments

While it was called East Venice in a few texts, the town of Udaipur is known by its common moniker, the city of lakes. The city was the capital of Mewar’s Sisodiya Rajputs and is famous for its palaces that exemplify the finesse of architecture in the Rajputana Style. Udaipur was founded in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II, the Sisodiya Rajput ruler. The Mewar Rajputs founded the city to relocate their capital from Chittor to a more secure location. Today, most of the palaces have been converted into hotels, thus attracting a huge no. of tourist crowd to this city.

The picturesque location of the town at the foot of the Aravalli Mountains, Udaipur State is a unique destination. Besides its different palaces, forts, market squares, and various temples are also the reason for its popularity. The cities are well planned and the people are hospitable, the place is not only famous for its palaces and monuments, Udaipur city has much to offer its visitors.

List of Udaipur Monuments

• City Palace
• Lake Pichola
• Lake Palace
• Lake Garden Palace
• The Royal Vintage Car Museum
• Bagore Ki Haveli
• Saheliyon Ki Bari
• Jagdish Temple
• Shilpgram
• Moti Magri

To learn more about the popular tourist places in Udaipur, please visit: places to visit in Udaipur.

Jodhpur Monuments

The second largest City of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is also the second most populous city of Rajasthan after Jaipur. The town was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha Singh of Marwar, the Rathore Rajput Ruler. The city was founded after the fall of Mandore’s former capital, as the new capital of Marwar. Jodhpur is also called the Sun City as it enjoys a bright sunny weather all year round. Strategically, it is considered to be the most important city of western Rajasthan as it lies only at a distance of 250 kilometers from the Indo-Pakistan border.

Jodhpur is also an important tourist destination because it lies in the center of Rajasthan. Jodhpur has been listed many times in various tourism magazines and documentaries and topped the list of most extraordinary places to stay on the lonely planet in 2014. The numerous hill forts, palaces and the old walled town are only a few of the multitude attractions this wonderful town has to offer.

List of Jodhpur Monuments

• Mehrangarh Fort
• Umaid Bhawan Palace
• Jaswant Thada
• Mandore Gardens
• Kailana Lake
• Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
• Clock Tower
• Chamunda Mata Temple
• Balsamand Lake
• Masuria Hills Garden

For more information on the popular Jodhpur tourist sites, please visit: places to visit in Jodhpur.

Jaisalmer Monuments

The aptly named‘ golden city, ‘which comes from its view during the day, the city of Jaisalmer lies in the heart of the Thar Desert. The city was founded by The Bhati Rajput ruler Maharawal Jaisal Singh in 1156 Ad and it gets its name from the golden sands of the Thar Desert and the same golden colored sandstone used in the city ‘s architecture. Due to its magnificent architecture and the various arts and crafts which are unique to this region, this is a famous tourist spot. It thrives on tourism, and a huge number of tourists from all over the world can be called a home away from home.

The unique feature about the city of Jaisalmer is its architecture. It was founded as a fortified town that makes it one of the world’s largest forts. You would want to pack a lot of paperbacks and almost 3-4 days to enjoy the life in this city to its fullest. The fort has several restaurants serving Italian, French, and local cuisine. Visit this castle town in the months of November and December, and enjoy it to the fullest.

List of Jaisalmer Monuments

• Jaisalmer Fort
• Bada Bagh
• Patwon-Ki-Haveli
• Sam Sand Dunes
• Thar Heritage Museum
• Gadisar Lake
• Nathmal Ki Haveli
• Jain temples
• Salim Singh Ki Haveli

For more information on Jaisalmer ‘s main tourist spots please visit: places to visit in Jaisalmer.

Bikaner Monuments

The Rathore Rajput Ruler Rao Bika founded the city of Bikaner in 1488. Rao Bika was the son of the Jodhpur founding Rathore ruler Rao Jodha. The land had been usurped from the then rival Jat rulers. However, no matter how many wars the ancient city has experienced in the past, Bikaner is another top tourist destination today and is renowned for its sweets and snacks. The place is known for its forts and food.

Also unique in this place are the various arts and crafts, especially the intricately carved windowpanes called jharokhas. It is one city that we would personally recommend to visit if you would like to experience the authentic taste of rajasthani cuisine. A huge number of visitors from all over India and the world are also attracted by the various fairs held in Bikaner.

List of Bikaner Monuments

• Junagarh Fort
• Lalgarh Palace
• National Research Centre on Camel
• Shri Laxminath Temple
• Ganga Singh Museum
• Sadul Singh Museum
• Jain Temple

To know more about the main tourist destinations in Bikaner, please visit: places to visit in Bikaner.

Pushkar Monuments

Lying in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district, the Holy City of Pushkar is often described as India’s king of pilgrimage sites. The town is located on the shores of Pushkar Lake, which was created by Lord Shiva ‘s tears and is one of India’s oldest towns, and its date of origin is unknown and is often associated with the Hindu mythology. It is famous for its temples and various Ghats which are frequented during the annual bath by hundreds of visitors. The lake water is considered sacred and is thus responsible for the reputation of the town as a place of pilgrimage.

Perhaps the most illustrious attraction of Pushkar is the annual camel fair. It’s a five day fair where people buy and sell cattle.

But that’s not all; the fair is home to a large number of tourist audiences who are drawn by the music , dance and various activities that take place here during the camel fair. Camel races are likewise one of the main attractions.

List of Pushkar Monuments

• Pushkar Lake
• Brahma Temple
• Savitri temple
• Apteshwar Temple
• Varaha Temple
• Rangji temple
• Man Mahal

Visit: Places to visit in Pushkar to learn more about tourist places in Pushkar.

Sawai Madhopur Monuments

Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh of The Kachwaha Rajputs established the Sawai Madhopur and was founded in 1763. While the city itself has no notable tourist attractions, only two attractions have rendered Rajasthan a must-visit location for this city. They are Fort Ranthambore, and National Park Ranthambore. The forests of Ranthambore were the hunting grounds for Jaipur’s Kachwaha Rajputs until India gained independence. It was established as the Sawai Madhopur Game Sanctuary after independence and in 1973 it became a tiger reserve and in 1980 it gained its national park status.

One should also visit the fort Ranthambore, a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort is located within the Ranthambore National Park forests.

The fort’s construction predates the Kachwaha Rajput Clan ‘s reign, and was founded in 944 AD by Nagil Jat Ruler Raja Sajraj Veer Singh Nagil. The fort hosted several different ruling clans before it ended up falling to Jaipur’s Kachwaha Rajputs. The immense cultural heritage imbibed in this ancient architecture is a must visit indeed.

List of Sawai Madhopur Monuments

• Ranthambore National Park
• Chamatkar Temple
• Chauth Mata Temple
• Ranthambore Fort
• Khandar Fort

Please visit: tourist places to visit in Ranthambore for other tourist attractions.

Chittorgarh Monuments

Chittorgarh Monuments It has been said that the ancient city of Chittorgarh, also known as Chittor, was built by the Maurya Dynasty. But its importance increased when Mewar ‘s Ruler of the Sisodiya Rajput Clan conquered the city in 734 Ad and made it Mewar’s capital. The place is known to be the birthplace of numerous great warriors and historical figures such as the Great Maharana Pratap and the Hindu saint Meera Bai. The town being an ancient place contains many different palaces, temples and forts that show some of the most advanced architectural designs and artistic mastery.

Chittorgarh fort, which is India’s largest fort, is one of the biggest places to visit in Chittorgarh. Before its relocation to the more stable city of Udaipur, the fort was the former mewar capital.

The fort was founded by the 1st Sisodiya Rajput Ruler Bappa Rawal in the 7th century and spreads over 2,8 square kilometers and is 1,075 meters above sea level, On your visit you will experience and witness the architecture of the Rajput style at its best. The complex of the fort itself contains several palaces, gardens and temples, most of them of great historical importance.

List of Chittorgarh Monuments

• Chittorgarh Fort
• Rana Kumbha Palace
• Fateh Prakash Palace
• Meera Temple
• Rani Padmini Palace
• Vijay Stambh
• Kriti Stambh

For more information about these sites, please visit major places to visit in Chittorgarh.

Mount Abu Monuments

The place prides itself on being the only hill station in Rajasthan ‘s desert state. Mount Abu is located in the mountain range of Aravalli, and is part of Rajasthan’s Sirohi District. The place besides being a retreat from the scorching sun for the people of Rajasthan and Gujarat but has a lot of historical and religious significance. Mount Abu was known as the Arbuda Mountain, mentioned in the Hindu Epic Mahabharata and known as the place of retirement of the Great Sage Vasistha. The hill station houses many ancient sites and temples which, along with many forts and lakes, are frequented by many pilgrims from all over India.

The place, with its lush green surroundings and various picnic spots, is a heavenly retreat for the sun-scorched people of Rajasthan.

List of Mount Abu Monuments

• Dilwara Jain temples
• Guru Shikar
• Achalgarh
• Nakki Lake
• Sunset Point
• Achaleshwar Mahadev Temple
• Trevor’s tank
• Mount Abu Bazaars
• Wildlife Sanctuary
• Toad Rock

To find out more about Mount Abu‘s main tourist destinations, please visit: places to visit at Mount Abu.

Ajmer Monuments

Ajmer is surrounded by the ranges of Aravalli, and is a city packed with history and culture. It lies near Pushkar, an important Hindu pilgrimage spot, and is home to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti’s shrine.

This makes it a rare place of pilgrimage for Hindus and Muslims alike. Besides being a pilgrimage site, it is also home to many fascinating historical sites and hence welcomes tourists from around the world. In 2015, Ajmer was selected as a heritage site for the – Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana scheme of Government of India.

List of Ajmer Monuments

• Ajmer Sharif Dargah
• Taragarh Fort
• Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra
• Abkari Fort and Museum
• Anasagar Lake
• Soniji ki Nasiyan

To know more about the main tourist destinations in Ajmer, please visit: places to visit in Ajmer.