Rising perpendicular and impregnable from a hill which is 125 metres above Jodhpur’s skyline is the Mehrangarh Fort. This historic fort is one of the most famous in India and is packed with history and legends. Mehrangarh Fort still bears the imprints of cannonball attacks courtesy the armies of Jaipur on its second gate. Chiselled and sturdy, the fort is known for its exquisite latticed windows, carved panels, intricately decorated windows.
Umaid Bhawan Palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1929 to counter a famine which had hit the state at the time. It was also known as the Chittar Palace while being constructed thanks to the use of stones drawn from the Chittar hill. The palace was designed by HV Lanchester, a renowned British architect, and was completed in 16 years. Built with sandstone and marble, the architecture of the palace is described as a blend of lndo-Saracenic.
Ghanta Ghar, also known as the clock tower, is situated in one of the busiest areas of Jodhpur. The tower was built by Maharaja Sardar singh from whom the adjacent Sardar market takes its name. The Sadar Market is quite popular among tourists for spices, traditional clothes and fancy jewelry . Clock Tower is a well- known land mark in Jodhpur . The Tower serves as the Start/ end point of heritage walk through the blue city.
Machiya Biological Park, also known as Machia Safari Park, is a modern wildlife and conservation facility situated about 7‑9 km west of Jodhpur near Kaylana Lake. Spanning 41 ha within a protected 604 ha forest block, the park was inaugurated in January 2016 to replace the old city zoo This park is situated on the way to Jaisalmer, about 1 kilometer from Kailana Lake. It offers a bird watching point for visitors and is also home to several animals such as deer,desert foxes, monitor lizards, blue bulls, hare, wild cats, mongoose, monkeys, etc.
Nestled at the foot of Mehrangarh Fort near Fateh Pol, Ranisar and Padamsar are two adjoining heritage lakes built over 500 years ago to address Jodhpur's water scarcity . Located near the Fateh Pole in Mehrangarh, the Ranisar and Padmasar are adjacent lakes that were constructed in the year 1459. Ranisar Lake was built on orders of Queen Jasmade Hadi, Rao Jodha's wife while Padmasar Lake was ordered by Queen Padmini of Rao Ganga, daughter of Rana Sanga of Mewar.
This milky white memorial built towards the end of the 19th century as a tribute to the leader Jaswant Singh is a huge tourist attraction. Jaswant Singh, who ruled Jodhpur, invested well in his state. He made attempts to bring down the level of crime, built railways and broadly worked on raising the economy of Marwar. Jaswant Thada is managed and looked after by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust and is open to public. The Trust is operating a Museum in Jaswant Thada displaying portraits of Marwar rulers along with informative didactics.
Towards the north of Jodhpur city is the ancient capital of Marwar, Mandore. This area is of major historical importance and you will find the dewals or cenotaphs of Jodhpur’s former rulers. Unlike the original umbrella-shaped cenotaphs that are typical patterns of Rajasthan architecture, these are built along the lines of Hindu temples. This enclosure also houses a museum ,a temple ,an art gallery.
Just 8 km west of Jodhpur, this artificial lake was created in 1872 by Maharaja Pratap Singh to alleviate water scarcity by damming the local canal system Situated on Jaisalmer road, this small artificial lake is an ideal picnic spot. It is like a canvas with a splash of romantic colours. The beauty of the lake stays with you long after you’ve experienced it. For those who’d like to go out on to the lake, boating, zip liner facilities are also available.
Balsamand Lake is about 5 kilometres from Jodhpur on the Jodhpur-Mandore Road. Built in 1159 AD, it was planned as a water reservoir to cater to Mandore. The Balsamand Lake Palace was built on its shore later as a summer palace. It is surrounded by lush green gardens that house groves of trees such as mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava and plum. Animals and birds like the jackal and peacock also call this place home.