Description:
The Hawa Mahal is the most important landmark of the city. This honey-combed building, known as the wind palace was originally built to facilitate the women of the royal families to watch the everyday life and the processions held in the pink city, without being seen by the people downstairs. This remarkable structure was built by Sawai Pratap singh in 1799. The outer structure look like a crown (mukut) adorning Lord Krishna!¦s head, as the building is dedicated to the Lord of whom, Sawai Pratap singh was a great devotee. It overlooks one of the main streets, adjoining the outside of the city palace wall, and lies sandwiched between the more prosaic buildings.
This five storeyed, pyramid shaped structure is made up of small casements, each with windows arched roofs with hanging carvices, exquisitely modeled and carved. It looks more like a screen than a palace. The top three storeyes are single rooms but at the base are two courtyards. It is a 50 feet high thin shield less than afoot thick. The carved sandstone grills, and domes gives this palace its unique facade. At sunrise the Hawa mahal bathes in the golden light glowing like a gem and is best viewed then.
