At the entrance to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, the 'Yantralaya' of Sawai Jai Singh II, the last great classical astronomer in India. The modernistic structures known as 'Yantras' are the unique creations of this astronomer-king designed by him and built by experts to observe the movements of sun, moon, planets and the stars.


This is the largest of five observatories founded by him in 1716 AD. The others are at Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura & Varanasi. Its massive masonry instruments are of an extraordinary precision & can still be used to measure local time, the sun's declination, azimuth & altitude, the declination of fixed stars & planets & also to determine the time of an eclipse of the sun.

General Information
Origin
1716 AD.

Location
Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Built By
Sawai Jai Singh II.

Famous as
Astronomical Observatory.

Prime Attractions of Jaipur
Hawa Mahal
Jaipur's signature building, the Hawa Mahal, a multi layered palace, was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. Famous for it's beehive like structure, the Mahal is an interplay of red and pink sand stone, carefully and painstakingly outlined with white borders and motifs.

Amber Fort
Overlooking the Delhi Jaipur Highway, the image of the Amber Fort is beautifully reflected in the lake below. Within the Fort lies the famous Jai Mandir (Temple) with its world renowned Sheesh Mahal, a hall full of Mirrors.

Govt. Central Museum
Located in the centre of the sprawling Ram Niwas Bagh, this is the oldest Museum in the State. The building was designed by Colonel Sir Swinton Jacob. It was built in 1876 AD when King Edward VII visited India as the Prince of Wales. It was opened to public in 1886 AD.

Jal Mahal
The Jal Mahal Palace, Jaipur is noted for its intricate architecture. The Palace was developed as a pleasure spot. It was used for the royal duck shooting parties.

Nahargarh Fort
Beyond the hills of Jaigarh, stands the fort of Nahargarh like a watchful sentinel guarding Sawai Jai Singh's beautiful capital.

Sawai Man Singh Museum
Located within the City Palace complex and nestled amidst old buildings, temples and the palace quarters, this museum was founded in 1959 by Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II. The exhibits comprise of the ancestral collections built up by the successive rulers of Amer and Jaipur.

Sheetla Mata Fair
The Sheetla Mata Fair is held in March-April, the month of Chaitra, in village Seel-Ki-Doongri, Jaipur. Doongri is a hillock on top of which the shrine of Sheetla Mata stands. The fair is held in her honour every year and attracts hordes of visitors from far and wide.