Jaisalmer is a medieval town situated in the middle of the Thar Desert in the state of Rajasthan, India. Jaisalmer is dominated by the only living fort in Rajasthan, that is, the Jaisalmer Fort - a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is located on the 80m high Trikuta (three ridges) Hill. Jaisalmer is popularly called the "Golden City" because all the buildings in and around the Fort, including small and large houses, temples, palaces and mausoleums are made of yellow sandstone - the same color as the earth.
Besides the fort itself, there are various places of architectural interest within the fort walls and grounds. These include five palaces, namely Sarvottam Vilas, Akhai Vilas, Gaj Mahal, Rang Mahal and Moti Mahal, as well as various temples and numerous havelis of merchants. The havelis have ornate sandstone carvings, decorated windows, archways, doors and balconies. Some of these havelis have been converted to museums but many are still lived in by the families that built them. The attractions within Jaisalmer Fort and the easy access to the sand dunes of the Thar Desert make Jaisalmer a favored tourist destination.
Figure 1 Arial view of Golden city from the palace balcony
B.Arch.
L.J.
School
Technological University
of
Architecture,
Gujarat
2
