Amber Fort

Amber Fort, or Amer, is the magnificent former capital of the Rajput rulers of Jaipur, a fort-palace of honey-coloured sandstone and white marble climbing a rugged ridge above a lake just outside the city. A UNESCO site, its succession of grand courtyards, gardens and halls rises to the dazzling Sheesh Mahal, the Hall of Mirrors, whose walls and ceiling glitter with countless tiny pieces of inlaid glass.

History

Amber was once a Meena state, and the Kachhwaha rulers held it from the 11th century, between 1037 and 1727, after the Kachhwaha prince Dulha Rai ended Meena rule over Dhundhar, as the region was called. The fort was originally built by Raja Man Singh and enlarged by Jai Singh I in the early 1600s, and successive rulers added to it for some 150 years, until Sawai Jai Singh II moved the capital to Jaipur in 1727. Its name is said to come from the Ambikeshwar temple of Shiva on the Cheel ka Teela hill, though local folklore links it to Amba, the mother goddess Durga (Wikipedia, Amber Fort).

Highlights

• The hilltop setting - the fort-palace climbing the ridge above the lake.
• The Sheesh Mahal - the glittering Hall of Mirrors.
• The courtyards and gardens - the grand tiered courts and garden.
• The views - the ramparts snaking over the hills like a wall.

When to go

October to March for the coolest weather; go early to beat the heat and crowds. It is reached by a walk, jeep up the hill, or formerly by elephant, though elephant rides raise welfare concerns and many now avoid them.

Before you go

Elephant rides up to the fort are offered but raise serious animal-welfare concerns, so many visitors choose to walk or take a jeep instead. It is very popular, so go early. It is a large complex with a steep approach, hot at midday. Touts and sellers cluster at the entrance.

Nearby

Jaipur's Pink City, the Jal Mahal water palace and the Nahargarh fort are close.

Key facts