150-km from Jaipur and 170-km from Delhi, Alwar is nestled between a cluster of small hills of the Aravalli range. Perched on the most prominent of these hills is a massive ancient fort that whispers tales of the rich history of the city.


Once an ancient Rajput state, formerly known as Mewat, Alwar was nearest to the imperial Delhi. The people of the state did not accept any external interferences and daringly resisted all foreign invasions. In the 12th and 13th centuries, they formed a group and raided Delhi. But finally, Sultan Balban (1267 AD - 1287 AD) suppressed them, bringing the area under the Muslim rule.

In 1771 AD, Maharaja Pratap Singh, a Kuchhwaha Rajput belonging to the clan of Jaipur’s rulers, won back Alwar and founded a principality of his own.

Apart from its long history, the city has a rich natural heritage with some beautiful lakes and picturesque valleys thickly wooded in parts.

Some of the finest varieties of birds and animals are spotted here. Alwar has one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan - Sariska, which is an excellent tiger country

Prime Attractions of Alwar
Government Museum - Alwar
The museum has the finest collection of Mughal and Rajput paintings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries and some rare ancient manuscripts in Persian, Arabic, Urdu and Sanskrit. ?Gulistan? (The garden of roses), ? Waqiat-I-Babri? (autobiography of the Mughal Emperor Babar) and ?Bostan? (the garden of spring) are some of the notable ones amongst the collection.

Ajabgarh
Located 21 kms south of Thana Ghazi in Alwar district, this place is well known for a temple called Shri Raghunathji.

Alwar Fort
This huge fort with its ramparts stretching 5-km from north to south and 1.6 kms from east to west, stands 304m above the city and 595m above the sea level, constructed before the rise of the Mughal Empire. Babar had spent a night at this fort and took away the hidden treasures to gift to his son, Humayun. Akbar’s son, Jehangir had also stayed here for some time during his exile. The place where he stayed is called Salim Mahal. The fort was finally annexed by Maharana Pratap Singh in 1775 AD It is a forbidding structure with 156 large and 51 small towers and 446 openings for musketry, along with 8 huge towers encompassing it. The fort has several gates - Jai Pol, Suraj Pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol, Kishan Pol of Jal Mahal, Nikumbh Mahal, Salim Sagar, Suraj Kund and many temples.

Purjan Vihar
A picturesque garden, laid out during the reign of Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh in 1868 AD. The garden has an enchanting setting called ‘Shimla’ which was built by Maharaja Mangal Singh in 1885 AD. The lush surroundings and the cool shades make it the idyllic visiting spot during summers.

Tijara
The old historic town situated 48 kms north east of Alwar, has an imposing fort worth seeing.

Vinay Vilas Mahal
An 18th century palace, harmoniously blending the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. While the ground floors have been converted into government offices and district courts, the upper apartment is presently a museum

Excursions from Alwar
Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
(21Km.)
This 765.80-sq-kms thickly wooded reserve cradled in the picturesque valley of the Aravallis. Established in 1955, it is an excellent tiger sanctuary under the Project Tiger. The dry deciduous forests of the Reserve are noted for their population of Tiger, Nilgai, Sambhar, Cheetal, Four-horned Antelope and Wild Boar.

Siliserh
(13Km.)
Located 13 kms from the city of Alwar, the enchanting Siliserh Lake was built in 1845 AD by Maharaja Vinay Singh by constructing an earthern dam between two hills to store the water of a small tributary of river Ruparel. It is a beautiful lake, covering an area of 7 sq. km, adorned with domed cenotaphs.

Jaisamand
(6Km.)
Jaisamand Sanctuary is situated 50-km south of Udaipur, the picturesque 'City of Lakes', succulent valleys and hills. It is on the bank of Jaisamand Lake, the second largest artificial Lake in Asia.

Vijai Mandir Palace
(10Km.)
Situated 10-km away from the city this palace is a splendid palace, built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1918 AD. A picturesque lake overlooking the palace makes it a fascinating sight. A fabulous Sita Ram Temple in the palace attracts number of devotees, especially during Ramnavami. One needs prior permission form the Secretary to visit the palace.

How To Get There - Alwar
By Air
Delhi at a distance of 163-km and Jaipur and 150-km are the two nearest airports from Alwar.

By Rail
Alwars has got good rail connections from prominent locations in and around the state. Some important train connections are: Shatabdi Express(New Delhi-Alwar_Ajmer); Superfast Express (New Delhi-Alwar-Ajmer); Intercity Express (Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Alwar-Jaipur); Marudhar Express (Varanasi-Alwar-Jodhpur); Mandore Express (Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Alwar-Jodhpur).

By Road
Regular services link Alwar with key destinations in and not far off Rajasthan and Delhi.

Local Transport
Auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas are the best way to commute within the city.

Places To Stay - Alwar
RTDC's Hotel Khartal and Circuit house as well as numorous Daharamshalas solve the purpose of accommodation in Alwar.