City Palace with a Mewar historian
The City Palace grew over about 300 years as successive Maharanas added palaces, courtyards and halls to the original core. The result is a maze of narrow stairs and sudden open terraces, built in granite and marble along the ridge above the lake. The museum section, run by the Mewar royal family's trust, covers the palace's main ceremonial and residential rooms.
Highlights include Mor Chowk, the peacock courtyard with mosaics of glass and stone; the Badi Mahal garden courtyard built on the top of a hill inside the palace; and rooms of mirror, glass and painted walls. The portrait galleries tell the story of the dynasty from Bappa Rawal and Maharana Pratap onward. Your guide will connect the rooms to the wars with the Mughals and the long survival of Mewar.
We start at opening time to see the courtyards quietly. Allow two to three hours. The palace also houses the Crystal Gallery in the Fateh Prakash Palace, a collection of crystal furniture ordered in the 19th century, which requires a separate ticket. Check current status of opening times and tickets before you travel.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
How long does it take to see the City Palace in Udaipur
Two to three hours with a guide for the museum, courtyards and terraces. Add 45 minutes for the Crystal Gallery and an hour if you want lunch at one of the palace cafés overlooking the lake. Arriving at opening avoids the larger groups later in the morning.
Is the City Palace Udaipur worth visiting
Yes. It is one of the largest palace complexes in Rajasthan and the best way to understand Mewar's long history. The peacock courtyard and the lake views from the upper terraces are among the finest sights in the state. We arrive at opening, when the courtyards are quiet and the light is soft, and allow two to three hours with a guide. The Crystal Gallery in Fateh Prakash Palace needs a separate ticket.
Who lives in the City Palace Udaipur today
The palace is shared between the museum, hotels such as Shiv Niwas and Fateh Prakash, and private quarters of the Mewar royal family, whose trust manages the complex. The family's ceremonies, such as the royal Holika Dahan, still take place there.
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