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Swai Jai Singh, the sovereign of Amber, built Jaipur in the eighteenth century. It was also around that time that the Mughal Emperor Auranzeb had died and the decline of the Mughal Empire had set inJai Singh had started distancing himself from the affair of the Mughal Court and he began concentrating on building of Amer. His search for a safe place for the increasing population of Amer resulted in Jaipur, This was India's first planned city and a brilliant architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya from Bengal was commissioned to plan the city. He designed it in accordance with ancient Hindu treatise on architecture, the Shilpa Shasta (Vastu).Jaipur was planned in a gird system with wide straight avenues, roads, streets and lanes and uniform rows of shops on either side of the main roads, all arranged in nine rectangular city sectors (chokris). The city is surrounded by a wall having seven gates and was built for protection from invading armies and wild animals that lurked just outside in the jungles that surrounded the city. But Jai Singh's planned city has withstood all the pressures and the changes
AMER FORT
Is one of the most magnificent destinations in Jaipur Located on the hills just outside Jaipur. It was built by Raja Man Singh in 1600 AD and then completed to its present form by Swai Jai Singh in the eighteenth century. The fort is an example of fascinating blend of Hindu and Muslim architecture built in red sandstone and white marble, the highlight of the fort is the Sesh Mahal (mirror Palace), a palace known for its craftsmanship in mirrors. It also locates in itself large ramparts, terraces and pavilions. Gardens like Dilaram Garden & Mohan Bari, which draw a leaf from the gardens that Mughals laid, are also sights to behold. An elegant temple of Shila Mata is situated inside the palace complex. The image of the Mother Goddess worshipped with reverence by thousands of devotees every day was brought from Jessore in Lower Bengal (Now in Bangladesh) by Raja Man Singh and installed here.
JAL MAHAL
A picturesque palace amidst the Man Sagar lake. It was built for royal duck shooting parties
GAITORE
To the west of the road to Amber in a valley is the royal cremation ground of gaitore. The cenotaphs of all Jaipur rulers, with the exception of Sawai Ishwari Singh who was cremated outside the Jai Niwas Garden were built at this place. The cenotaph of Sawai jai Singh ii stands out for its delicate carvings and beautiful shape
JAIGARH FORT
An impregnable and un-approachable fort. The fort was cleverly built to gives its archers an advantage over their targets. It is said that Raja Man Singh has buried huge treasures in this bastion. The fort also houses the Jai Ban the largest cannon in Asia, supposed to have been test fired only once.
NARGARH FORT
Also located on the rugged Aravali Hills.Nahargarh meaning abode of the tigers was built by Jai Singh to bolster the defense of Amer. The fort has uniquely a cluster of 12 suits for queens and at the head is a suit for the Jai Sigh himself. The legend also have it that it was named Nahargarh after Nahar Singh a prince whose spirit would destroy the construction and not allow it progress further. So by a tantrik prayer the spirit agreed to leave on condition that the fort be named after him.
GOVINDDEV JI KA MANDIR
The presiding deity of Jaipur is Govindeoji, Lord Krishna, who came from Vrindavan, before the city of Jaipur was built. The temple is located between the Chandra Mahal and the Badal Mahal, so that the rulers of the state could view the temple from their residences. The temple attracts large number of devotes specially on the Janamashtmi, the day of Lord Krishna's birth.
JANTAR MANTAR OBSERVATORY
Jantar Mantar, one of the five observatories (the others being in Delhi, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura ), built by Sawai Jai Singh an avid astronomer, buit it to study movements of stars it in 1718. This one is the largest and the best preserved. A collection of complex astronomical instruments chiselled out of stone - most of which continue to provide fairly accurate information to this day - is the highlight of the observatory.
ALBERT HALL MUSEUM
It is erected in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden of Jaipur . It was built in 1876 to mark the visit of Prince of Wales to the city. The beautiful Indo - sarcenic structure of the Albert designed by Sir Swinton Jacob was opened in 1887 as a public museum. It contains a fine collection of sculptures, paintings, decorative art objects, natural history specimens, an Egyptian mummy and a celebrated Persian Garden Carpet.
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