At least half a day required for this marvelous tourist spot with hill landscape and architectural splendor in your tour itinerary of heritage tour in Jaipur. Amer Fort is just 11 kilometers away from the main city of Jaipur. Remember locals call this Amber Fort as well, so you do not need to be confused. Located on the Aravalli hills it produces a beautiful specter for the approaching tourist with its golden sandstone architecture of huge encompass nestled in the blue wave of hills. If you want to experience artistic traditions of various origins that had their confluence in the heritage buildings of Jaipur, then Amer fort is arguably the best of the lot.
History of Amber Fort Jaipur
This stupendous architecture was actually the home for medieval rulers of Rajasthan from 11th century to the first quarter of eighteenth century until the capital moved from Amer Fort to Jaipur. At the time of the rule of Kachwahas royalty this fort was not as big as it stands now until it was taken over by the Great king and commander in chief in Akbar's army, Raja Man Singh in 1592. What now stands as the outstanding visual splendor of rare architectural and artistic beauty in this gigantic heritage building is a result of successive efforts of many rulers in the next 150 years after Raja Man Singh too over this fort.
Special Tourist Attractions around Amer Fort Jaipur
From its gateway to the inner courtyards to the large facades Amer fort deserves your poetic appreciation in regard to its wide range of artistic exposure in so many cultural and historic traditions. The whole fort is divided into four distinct sections with different facades at the entrance and courtyards. Each section represent a whole array of great confluence between varied architectural and artistic traditions that made this so special a place in any tour itinerary of heritage tour in Jaipur. If you can spend a whole day here, you will not regret your decision.
After the impressive entry through the Suraj Pole or Sun Gate you come to Jaleb Chowk, the widest among all the courtyards and the main courtyard that leads to other parts of the fort. Jaleb Chowk is basically a term that in Arabic means ensemble of soldiers. Actually this huge courtyard used to be used at the time of the rule of Maharaja Jai Singh for his bodyguards to parade.
Ganesh Pole:
Through the main palace ground you come to Ganesh Pole or the courtyard with a Temple of Ganesh, the Hindu god who is venerated throughout India for his power of removing all obstacles from the life of the devotees. The exquisite inlay and network on the stone offers a great specter for your artistic taste to satisfy.
Sila Devi Temple:
On one side of Jaleb Chowk there is another great temple of superb artistic attributes named Sila Devi Temple. The main gate of the temple is silver plate covered and full of engraved art work from Hindu mythical orientation. The deity inside the temple who is an incarnation of Hindu goddess Durga or Kali is having two silver lions on her both sides.
Third Courtyard or Maharaja's Private Palace:
Whatever you have heard as the famous architectural or artistic heritage attributes of this palace almost all of them are present in this part of the palace. The two adjacent buildings on both side of the courtyard are separated by a beautiful garden much in the fashion of Mughal gardens.
Sheesh Mahal:
The left building of the garden is formally called as Jai Mandir, though popularly it is known as Sheesh Mahal or Mirror Palace and is one of the most beautiful piece of great architectural design and royal taste of luxury and art. With convex glass inlaid panels and art crafted mirror ceiling it presents a specter that is truly unique in any parameter of heritage architecture. In this grand palace with its mirror work one gets convinced that without Amer Fort a heritage tour in Jaipur is just unthinkable.
Sukh Niwas:
Sukh Niwas or the Hall of Pleasure is the name of the adjacent building on the opposite side of the garden. As you enter this huge auditorium you soon understand, especially if it is summertime why it is called to be a place of happiness and pleasure. With piped water flowing through open channels surrounding this great auditorium makes the inside temperature comparatively cooler and pleasant and so a place of pleasure and happy time spending. The famous magic flower fresco in this building at one of the marble pillars deserves artistic appreciation.
Palace of Man Singh:
The next important place to visit is the palace of Man Singh, the king who took over this fort from Kachwahas and who is equally famous as the commander in chief in Mughal Emperor Akbar's army. A pavilion with pillars, colored tiles and frescos is all reminiscent of the confluence of Mughal, Hindu and Rajput architectural and artistic traditions. Beyond this fort there is Amer village with lot many traditional temples, mosques and palatial houses.
Maota Lake:
Maota lake is one of the most picturesque natural place to visit which is just located facing the south side of the fort and the lake in the middle of it has a garden with flower beds which is called Dilaram Bagh. Maota lake with its garden in the middle was the favorite retreat of Emperor Akbar whenever he used to visit Amer.
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