Umaid Bhawan Palace

Umaid Bhawan Palace is a huge private residence, considered the largest in the world. The palace is named after Maharaja Umaid Singh. Currently still belongs to this genus. The current owner is Gaj Singh II, the grandson of Umaid. A luxury hotel, a private residence of the descendants of the Jodhpur royal family and a small interesting museum are all housed in the Umaid Bhawan Palace.

History

The young Maharaja Umaid, he was about 20 years old, turned to the famous British architect G. Lenchester. Singh decided to build a grandiose structure, but in harmony with European architectural trends. Lenchester combined in the project architectural features that had become traditional in India, and the Art Deco style, which was gaining popularity in Europe at that time. The new style is called Indo-Deco.

In 1929, construction of the Umaid Bhawan Palace began. More than 5 thousand unemployed local residents were recruited for the work. In the 20s of the last century, there was a severe drought for 3 years, and famine occurred. Construction helped the population survive. A railway line was specially built to deliver materials, which provided work to many residents and later played an important role in the development of the region’s economy.

Umaid Bhawan Palace was built without the use of cement or concrete. The technology of laying walls “in a groove” was used, which was used by the builders of the ancient famous temple of Angkor Wat (1112-1152). The architect decided to design the palace so that the temperature inside would be kept at a comfortable level of about 25 degrees. He succeeded.

The palace turned out to be huge. Its area is almost 1.5 hectares and more than 6 hectares are occupied by nearby flower beds, gardens, lawns and flower beds. The palace has 347 rooms, including a huge hall for celebrations with a ceiling height of 40 m.

Interior and style

Art Deco style distinguishes Umaid Bhawan Palace:

• strict geometric shapes - rectangles, circles, zigzags, there is no smoothness in it;
• bright, rich colors - without the use of halftones: black, gold, white, beige, chocolate, burgundy;
• luxury and gloss of materials - marble, granite, genuine leather, lacquered mahogany, glass, black glossy surfaces, brass.

The interior design was done by the Polish master S. Norblin, maintaining the chosen style. Furniture for the royal residence was ordered from England to the famous company "Maples". But the Second World War was going on. The ship with ready-made furniture and interior decoration elements was hit and scuttled by soldiers of Hitler's army in 1942. It was decided to invite craftsmen from Europe and make furniture right on site. The construction of the Umaid Bhawan Palace was completed in 1943

After the war and during the years of I. Gandhi’s rule, the attitude towards wealth and excessive luxury in India changed dramatically. In 1972, Gaj Singh, Umaid's son, opened a hotel in the palace, leaving only one wing for private apartments. The largest central part with luxurious decoration has been transformed into a hotel.

The main attraction is the vaulted inner sky-blue dome. There is an external one above it, its height is 32 m. The dome is surrounded by towers on 4 sides. The palace entrance is decorated with the coat of arms of the royal family. The entrance floor is paved with black polished granite. One of the historical experts described the architecture of the palace as the best example of the Indo-Deco style.

Museum

The small museum at the palace displays an exhibition of vintage cars. All exhibits are in excellent condition and running. There is a garage in the yard for cars.

In the Umaid Bhawan Palace, several halls, a large hall and a courtyard are reserved for the museum. The large hall has high, beautifully painted ceilings. There are memorable photographs everywhere, several stuffed leopards, and household items. There is no need to talk about excessive luxury - the influence of the restrained, elegant English style is felt.

In one of the small rooms there is a magnificent collection of watches of various sizes and shapes, from simple to luxurious, trimmed with gold and diamonds. There is a unique clock with a “perpetual motion machine”; it is wound by moving balls from the bottom drawer to the top.

The most luxurious interiors and furniture are located in the hotel. Only hotel guests can admire them. Several years ago, the palace was recognized as the best hotel in the world and was awarded a special award.