Introduction
The palaces, forts, temples and havelis of Jodhpur reflect the genius of the sculptors of yore quite well. The city, located in the midst of exotic sand dunes, is surrounded by thorny vegetation of the Thar Desert. The Umaid Bhawan Palace, originally known as the Chittar Palace, is one of the biggest draws for visitors to the city. His Highness Gaj Singh, the Maharaja of Jodhpur is the present day owner of the palace. One of the sections of the palace serves as a world-renowned five star palace-hotel.

History
The exquisite palace is named after Maharaja Umed Singh, the founder. The foundation stone of this grand edifice was laid by the maharaja on 18 November, 1929. One of the last royal buildings, the palace was in fact built to provide employment to the drought-hit populace. Around 5,000 workers including artisans, craftsmen and labourers were engaged in the project. The construction of the palace came to an end after six years of continuous effort.

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Architecture
The palace stands on the top of a hill facing the Mehrangarh Fort. Right after it was constructed, it had the distinction of being the largest private residence in the world. The palace typifies the Indo-Art-Deco style of architecture. The designer behind this masterpiece was the celebrated British architect HV Lanchester. The amount of money involved in the project was around 1 crore.

Stefan Norblin, a Polish designer, did the interiors of the palace. Though the architecture of the palace was intended to be very modern and different, the traditions of the medieval era were also taken care of. Following the styles of the medieval palaces, the Umed Bhawan Palace too had two separate sections for the males and the ladies.

Today, as you make a trip to this stunning piece of history, you'll come to observe three different sections in the palace. One of which serves as the royal residence. The other two are a five-star hotel and a museum with rich collections of the past. The hotel with its 94 luxuriously appointed rooms and suites is a perfect option to make a memorable stay while in Jodhpur. The hotel has been provided with all the world-class amenities and higher ranking services. Apart from these, during your stay here you also have the opportunity to sit and spend some quality moments with the royal family here.

Nearby Attractions
During your stay at Jodhpur, you can plan to visit numerous forts, palaces, temples and havelis; considered as a rich treasure of the bygone Rajput days. Take out time to visit such famous sights as the Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Balsamand Lake, Mandore Gardens, Mahamandir etc. Also take a stroll through the city's markets to get yourself some beautiful artifacts including carpets, lacquer ware, tie-and-dye textiles, puppets and jooties (traditional shoes).

Reaching There
The Jodhpur Airport has direct connections with important cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Udaipur. Lying on the broad gauge track, the city is served by frequent trains from Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. You can also take luxury coaches that run from Delhi (597 km) to Jodhpur regularly. To reach the palace from within the city, you can hire taxis or auto-rickshaws. Local buses

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