Lake Palace, Palace hotel in Udaipur, India.
This palace sits on Jag Niwas island in Lake Pichola and shows white marble walls, courtyards with fountains, and gardens spread across multiple levels. The property holds over 80 rooms and suites in different sizes, all facing toward a central courtyard with pillared corridors and pavilions.
Maharana Jagat Singh II ordered the construction of this royal residence between 1743 and 1746 as a winter retreat on an artificially expanded island. Since 1971, the building has operated as a hotel and is now managed by the Taj Hotels group.
The courtyards and halls show how Rajput rulers adapted local marble carving traditions for royal residences on water. Many decorative details follow the geometric patterns and floral motifs that define Mewar craftsmanship in palaces across this region.
Guests reach the hotel only by boat, as the island has no land connection. The rooms and public areas are accessed through stairs and open corridors, so moving between levels requires a certain degree of mobility.
During the 1857 uprising, Maharana Swaroop Singh removed all boats from the city to protect European families who sought safety on the island. The building appeared in the James Bond film Octopussy, which brought international attention to this royal residence.
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